I'm Done
by FalconLux
Summary: In the summer after Sirius' death, Harry gets fed up with being a pawn. His trademark impulsiveness meets rage to conceive power that he has never before dared to touch. But will the fall of one dark lord, give birth to the rise of another? Dark!Powerful!Harry; DMHP SLASH; secondary SSHG pairing
1. I'm Done

**Author's Note:** Set after OoTP. It's basically canon through that point. This was meant to be a oneshot. It no longer is. I blame my muse, who, I'm quite certain, is psychotic.

**Warnings:** Dark!Harry, Insane!Harry, rated M for language and violence

**Disclaimer:** As per usual, I am not J. K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter, universe, characters, etc. The plot is mine. Not sure if that's something to really brag about, but there it is.

* * *

**"I'm Done"**

* * *

x_x…H_P...x_x

"All right, you three," Mrs. Weasley said, waving her hands in a "shooing" motion as she beckoned Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. "Get off to bed."

"Aw, mum!" Ron predictably complained, already heading for the door as he subconsciously acknowledged the futility of his argument. "Really, we're nearly of age…"

"Nearly is not close enough, Ronald," Mrs. Weasley said in her best don't-question-me voice. "Off you go."

Hermione was frowning slightly, but she was getting up to follow Ron.

Harry hadn't moved from his seat at the table.

"Harry," Remus prompted gently, as though he thought Harry merely had not heard the eviction.

"Come on, Harry," Ron said glumly.

"No," Harry said quietly, startling himself slightly at having finally said it aloud.

"What?" Remus asked with concern in his voice.

Harry stood up and looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each person present. "No," he said again, louder this time, more confident. "I will not leave the room so that you can all discuss the war without me. _I_ am the Chosen One, as you are all so keen to remind me whenever it suits you. _I _am the one who will most likely die in the process of ending this war."

"Harry-" Remus started to complain.

"No, Remus. It's true," Harry cut him off viciously. "From the time I was a year old, everyone has been planning out the course of my life for me. Planning how to shape me into the perfect tool to destroy Voldemort." He said that with an accusing glare at Dumbledore, whose eyes were not twinkling as he studied Harry. "You sent me to live with muggles, who _hate _everything associated with magic, _especially_ me. Even after I started at Hogwarts, you sent me back there every summer."

He went on before Dumbledore or anyone else could interrupt him. "Even after I killed a basilisk and destroyed a horcrux when I was _twelve_. After I won the Triwizard Tournament when I was fourteen. And, oh yeah, fought Voldemort in the _flesh_. Still, you kept me in the fucking dark."

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth, no doubt to comment on his language, but he cast her such a glare that she actually stayed silent.

"Last year – _most _notably – you decided that it would be a brilliant idea to ignore my fucking existence altogether. And then order me by proxy to study Occlumency, something I'd have had difficulty with under the best of circumstances, under a man who hates me probably even more than I hate him." Luckily, Snape wasn't currently present to be offended by the comment.

"Sirius is _dead_ because you lot couldn't keep me in the fucking loop. So yeah, I'm done being ushered into the next room whenever there's an Order meeting." He looked directly at Dumbledore again, "You want me to continue following your orders, sir, I'm done doing it blind. I am done feeling my fucking way through the dark while you lot try to protect my innocence while plotting how best to use me as a weapon.

"I'm fucking done with you all."

Though he'd started the entire thing to avoid being pressed out of the room, Harry suddenly didn't want to stay there another moment.

He left swiftly, silence echoing loudly in his wake. He trotted up the stairs, passed the portrait of Mrs. Black, and walked right out the front door. He didn't know where he was going to go. He didn't really care.

Away.

Though he officially couldn't apparate yet, as he was old enough to fight Voldemort but not yet old enough to apparate, he didn't care. Though he'd never done it before, he turned on the spot and apparated almost instinctively.

He had no idea where he'd intended to go, so he looked around uncertainly as he arrived in a huge, darkly decorated ballroom. The room was absolutely silent, though Harry realized almost instantly that he was most definitely not alone. He was surrounded by maybe two dozen people, most of them varying degrees of familiar. The three people most distinctly familiar were right in front of him, in fact.

Draco Malfoy was kneeling on the floor, twisted around and staring at Harry with wide, horrified eyes. Professor Snape was standing just a bit to the side, his composure also utterly absent. And then there was Lord Voldemort himself probably looking more astonished than he ever had, and in his crimson eyes, Harry thought he saw a hint of fear.

He'd managed to apparate himself successfully for the first time. Right into the Death Eaters den in what seemed to be the middle of a revel. He chuckled quietly to himself, the utter absurdity of the situation overcoming all common sense.

And then the Dark Lord was on his feet. He glanced around slowly before his eyes settled on Harry once more. "Well, this is a surprise," he noted in a quiet hiss. "Has the Boy-Who-Lived come to die?" he inquired derisively.

Harry shook his head slowly. What the bloody hell _was _he doing here? More importantly, what was he going to do now that he was here? Try to apparate away again? Could he do it before getting cursed? And where would he end up?

He looked into blood-red eyes, still bearing that hint of fear, then glanced around a room filled with stunned-silent Death Eaters. The people in this room were responsible for killing his parents, his godfather, and generally destroying his entire life.

…and something inside him snapped.

He drew his wand almost casually, to which the room responded with nervous shuffling. No one dared to speak or attack while Voldemort was still watching him silently.

"Do you intend to duel me, boy?" Voldemort smirked in amusement. But the fear was still in his eyes. Could anyone else see it?

"No," Harry decided, dropping his wand on the floor where it landed with a deafening clatter in the silence.

Voldemort began to laugh and Harry felt the blinding pain lance through his scar at the sheer joy emanating from the _creature _who'd murdered his parents as he perceived Harry's action as surrender.

Harry let his eyes drift closed, and he could literally _feel _Voldemort raising his wand. Harry didn't actually know what he was doing. He didn't care. He was beyond caring. He let his fury build upon itself, swelling to depths that could have rivaled the world's oceans, to heights to rival the very skies. It consumed him, claimed him, destroyed him. It became him.

He opened his eyes once more and the Dark Lord stopped laughing in an instant.

Red eyes widened, and he screeched, "_Avada Kedavra_!"

The killing curse hissed from the wand in a fury of brilliant green that enveloped him. He felt it meet his soul of fury, welcomed like a long absent friend. It saturated him and he felt his body grow lighter than air. But no. That was wrong. He was lighter than air, but his body had slipped beyond his reach.

He looked down, and he saw himself lying there. On the floor. Like a broken toy. Forgotten. Unloved. Worthless.

This wasn't how it was supposed to end. Not while those monsters lived.

His fury doubled, then redoubled, expanding exponentially at the speed of thought.

Weight hit him again, and he was wrenched back into his body.

Eyes opened to look upon the elegant ceiling of this fashionable tomb.

His fury continued to build. He would not die while they lived. He was on his feet again, though he didn't remember standing. Silence reigned. Mouths gaped as all eyes bulged at him.

"You don't get to live anymore," he heard the words leave his mouth in a voice that may have been his own had it not been as cold as the grave, devoid of all semblance of life.

He tilted his head slightly to the side as he studied the creature before him. "You don't get to breathe anymore," he continued, taking one slow step toward the creature, and then another. "I would kill you a thousand times for each life you have taken, Tom Riddle." Another step. The creature's wand pressed painfully into his chest, but he couldn't care. "Once will have to be enough for today."

Impossibly wide red eyes stared into his own, lipless mouth gaped open, working with the semblance of a familiar curse that he did not dare to utter.

"Avada," the lifeless voice whispered. "Kedavra."

The world turned green.

It was astonishingly quiet, the death of Lord Voldemort. No screams. No shouted curses. No weeping, begging, or raging. Just blinding green light, and the soft thud of bodies hitting the floor.

When Harry's vision cleared, he looked down at the crumpled, unremarkable body of Tom Riddle. He'd be back, Harry knew. He still had horcruxes. But it would take a while. He'd bought himself some time to prepare properly. He'd definitely need Hermione. If anyone could find a way to destroy him before he reached full power again, it would be her. He'd need Ron as well, since he was one of the few people that Harry believed he could fully trust. In anything. As for the rest…

He stepped over the now meaningless corpse, and turned before the throne to face the room. A room littered with corpses. There were only a few left alive amongst the carnage. Snape stood exactly where he had been, though he'd turned to follow Harry's move. He was now staring at him with wide eyes. Draco yet knelt on the floor, quite alive, gaping at the body of the former dark lord. And Narcissa Malfoy was standing in the middle of the ring of bodies, the only one left standing in that lot.

Harry wondered why she'd lived. He hadn't really meant to kill anyone except for Riddle and Bellatrix… Well, maybe Dolohov too, as he'd come so close to killing Hermione. But maybe he _had_ subconsciously made out a hit list. He wasn't sure. He'd left Draco alive, which was mildly surprising. But Narcissa?

He shook the unnecessary concern for the moment. It didn't seem to matter.

"Harry?" Snape finally spoke, his whisper echoing in the silent room. He didn't sound like he was at all certain that he was in fact speaking to Harry.

Harry hesitated just a moment before sinking down onto Voldemort's vacated throne, shoving the man's body out of the way with his foot as he did so.

"I'm done taking orders," Harry informed the room, then looked at Snape. "You can feel free to run and tell your master, if you like. Or…" he added thoughtfully, "I do believe I'm going to need some followers of my own. Is anyone interested?" he asked of all three.


	2. You're A Good Spy, Severus Lie

**Author's Note:** Okay, this will not leave me alone. I seriously need to get it out of my system, so here's chapter two of this won't-shut-up-and-stay-a-oneshot-so-it's-now-a-cha pter-fic fic.

**Warnings:** Dark!Harry, Insane!Harry, I won't say Dark!Dumbledore, but he's not nice either. Possible slash in later chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own this. You guys know that. You're not paying me. Neither is anyone else. If I owned this, you would be.

**pampelmousse**, I can see you shaking your head and mumbling under your breath right now. Okay, so I can't *see* you because even if I had a telescope that good, there's that whole curvature of the earth thing, but I can sense it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my slow descent into madness… I know I intend to.

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**"You're a Good Spy, Severus. Lie"**

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x_x…S_S...x_x

Severus started along with the rest as the crack of apparation echoed through the room – a room with antiapparation wards nearly as strong as those within the Department of Mysteries itself.

His gaze turned to the intruder, who was standing just behind where Draco was kneeling, prepared to take the Mark at only sixteen. Looking absurdly out of place in muggle jeans and a Weasley jumper, was none other than Harry Potter himself. Dread and terror welled within Severus as it had not since that fateful day when he'd learned that the Dark Lord had set his sights on the Potters. It didn't matter how Harry had managed to get here through the wards. He was _here_. Standing right in front of the Dark Lord. How had this happened?

Harry didn't appear frightened as he looked around the room with enough incredulity to prove that he had not come here intentionally. After a quick glance around, his eyes touched on Draco, then on Severus, and finally came to rest on the Dark Lord where he sat on his throne.

The corners of his mouth pulled up slightly and the boy _laughed_.

Severus knew that his jaw had fallen, but he didn't pay it much mind. There wasn't a closed mouth in the room. He could not conceive of what to do. Even had he been able to disapparate, he didn't think he could get to Harry and take him away before they were both cursed. He couldn't fight. He'd be dead long before he could do any good.

"Well, this is a surprise," the Dark Lord hissed, rising from his throne. "Has the Boy-Who-Lived come to die?"

_No, no, no, NONONONO!_ It echoed through Severus' head, but there was nothing that he could do. However Harry had come to be here, intentional or not, nothing could save him now.

Harry shook his head slowly, but it seemed to be directed inward rather than as answer to the question. After a moment, he looked up, meeting the Dark Lord's eyes.

Severus couldn't detect any fear in those bright green depths. None at all. Was the boy suicidal? Was this his idea of giving up?

Harry drew his wand and Severus pulled in a sharp breath along with the rest of the room.

"Do you intend to duel me, boy?" the Dark Lord nearly laughed.

Harry hesitated just a moment, and then his wand slipped from his fingers. "No," he answered without inflection.

Severus watched, unable to divert his eyes, as the wand tumbled to the floor, bounced, and rolled away. Harry had given up. Severus had failed.

The Dark Lord began to laugh. It sounded mostly insane, as always, but probably more genuinely gleeful than Severus had ever heard it before.

Harry closed his eyes and the Dark Lord lifted his wand, taking aim at Harry's chest.

Severus couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.

A couple seconds passed.

Harry opened his eyes again.

Severus' heart stopped.

Harry's brilliant green eyes, always so very much like Lily's, glowed red. Brilliant, awful red to mirror the Dark Lord's.

Voldemort's laughter ceased instantly. "_Avada Kedavra_!" he screeched without wasting another moment.

Severus watched the killing curse leave the Dark Lord's wand and hit Harry directly in the chest. The boy didn't even try to defend himself. In utterly surreal slow motion, Severus watched him fall. His eyes fell closed for just a moment.

_Lily_, was all that he could think. All these years… Everything he'd been through! And he'd failed. Lily's son was dead, killed by the same monster that had killed his parents. Severus had watched it happen. Had been unable to stop it.

Severus had failed.

Smiles. Quiet laughter. Tentative congratulations. The sound was just beginning to rise in the room when Harry moved again.

Silence abruptly fell once more as the Boy-Who-Lived opened his eyes. Burning red eyes. He rose to his feet with all the sinuous grace of a serpent, and furious red eyes met their frightened counterpart in the Dark Lord.

The room held its breath.

"You don't get to live anymore."

The words fell from Harry's lips in a voice colder than anything Severus had heard even from the Dark Lord. He hadn't picked up his wand, but the Dark Lord did not seem at all comforted by the fact as Harry advanced on him slowly.

Albus had said that it was Lily's love that had saved Harry from the killing curse when he was a baby. What had saved him this time?

Harry's head cocked slightly to the side in an emotionless appraisal of his enemy. "You don't get to breathe anymore," he went on in that terrible parody of his voice. "I would kill you a thousand times for each life you have taken, Tom Riddle." Another step pressed his chest into the Dark Lord's wand point. Still, there was no fear in Harry's crimson eyes. The Dark Lord seemed incapable of even giving voice to another curse.

"Once will have to be enough for today," Harry added icily.

"Avada," Harry whispered, staring at his rival.

Severus' breath rushed out in a huff and refused to come back in.

"Kedavra," the boy finished.

Instead of the curse snaking out to strike the Dark Lord, green light exploded from Harry's very skin.

Severus flinched, shielding his eyes instinctively. There was a sound like a gentle gusting of air, and then the muted thuds of bodies hitting the hard marble floor.

Severus blinked the green light from his eyes, somewhat astonished to find himself alive, and his jaw fell again as he took in the room. Harry's curse had killed the Dark Lord, but it hadn't stopped there. Of the twenty people that had attended the revel, two besides himself remained alive. The ballroom was littered with corpses. Harry had killed them all with a single curse.

Only Draco and Narcissa remained alive, and Severus felt tears sting his eyes against his will. Draco and Narcissa were still alive. The only other two in the room for which Severus cared. They were alive. Harry had spared them.

Why?

Severus turned as silently as possible to follow Harry's movement as he stepped over the Dark Lord's corpse and turned to face the room. His eyes touched on the three left alive.

Severus looked, searched, but he could find no sign of surprise, regret, satisfaction… There was nothing in those red eyes except vague calculation.

"Harry?" Severus said quietly, unable to fathom what the boy may do next.

Red eyes touched his and it took everything he had in him not to flinch.

Harry lowered himself into the throne, shoving away the body of the Dark Lord as though it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. He settled himself in the throne as though it had been made for him. Despite the muggle jeans and awful sweater, the messy hair and the glasses, Harry Potter managed to look every inch the dark lord.

Glowing red eyes probably helped to sell it.

"I'm done taking orders," Harry's voice rang out in the silence of the room. His eyes settled on Severus again. "You can feel free to run and tell your master, if you like."

The way that he said that made it clear that Albus was no longer Harry's master. Severus didn't think that anyone would ever tell Harry what to do again. Not if they hoped to survive.

"Or…" Harry added thoughtfully. "I do believe I'm going to need followers of my own. Is anyone interested?" he asked of his small audience.

Narcissa took a hesitant step closer to Harry.

Red eyes snapped to her and she froze. "Please, my Lord," she breathed diffidently. "My son…"

Harry turned his eyes to where Draco yet crouched on the floor. He considered him for a moment. "Stand up, Malfoy," he said finally.

Severus clenched his jaw to keep himself silent as his godson rose on shaky legs. He would beg for Draco's life if he had to, but he wasn't at all sure if Harry wouldn't kill him just for spite if Severus did that now. He'd been so cruel to Harry over the years – as had Draco – that Severus wasn't at all sure that Harry hadn't spared the three of them just for the opportunity to kill them slowly. After what he'd just seen, Severus had no idea if he had the smallest chance of even putting up a fight.

"M-my Lord," Draco croaked, bowing his head to Harry.

And Harry laughed.

Severus was not alone in flinching at the sound, and he found it not the slightest bit comforting. By the way the Malfoys paled, they didn't find it reassuring either.

"Really, Malfoy?" Harry grinned, eye shining. "'My lord'?" he laughed. "I always knew you were a coward, but don't you think you rolled over rather quickly?"

Severus' heart stuttered at the baiting. If he goaded Draco into saying something…

"Draco!" Narcissa hissed, her desperate voice quiet.

Harry ignored her entirely, his eyes yet focused on Draco. As Severus watched, the red slowly receded into his pupils, and then vanished entirely as if it had never been. Even with his eyes returned to green though, he still looked every bit the dark lord on his throne.

"It's self-preservation," Draco responded, his words quiet, but with an underlying bite. "My Lord," he added.

Harry seemed to consider the merit of the explanation for a long moment. "So you'll transfer your allegiance from your master to his executioner just that easily?" Harry wondered finally.

"Well, he's a bit too dead to care," Draco sneered with a brief, derisive glance toward the corpse in question.

Severus bit his tongue to keep himself from speaking. He wanted to scream at Draco's stupidity. Could he not see that Harry was far from stable? Did he not understand that one wrong word would be his last?

Harry chuckled, nodding his agreement. "But we hate each other," he pointed out. "How could I ever trust you at my back, Malfoy?"

A small whimper escaped Narcissa as she evidently saw Draco's life drawing to a close as well.

Neither of the boys seemed to notice.

Draco just looked incredulous, "Really, Potter?" he asked, evidently forgetting the "my lord" part.

Severus nearly groaned.

"You just killed Lord Voldemort and his entire inner circle with one wandless curse. Call me a coward if you want, but I'm not _nearly_ stupid enough to cross you."

Harry laughed, an unsettling sound. He glanced around the room. "Merlin, I did, didn't I? All right, then, Malfoy. Let's put your magic where your mouth is. An Unbreakable Vow?" he suggested.

Draco swallowed hard while Severus and Narcissa gasped quietly. Though dangerous, if Draco really did swear himself to Harry with an Unbreakable Vow, Harry might actually let him live.

Draco nodded sharply.

A feral grin curled Harry's lips as he rose from his throne and again stepped over Voldemort to stand in front of Draco. He glanced aside at Severus. "Would you do the honor's, Snape…" he paused. "Severus," he tried. "You don't mind if I call you Severus, do you?" he questioned.

_Of all the stupid questions…_ "No, my Lord," Severus said with a bow of his head.

Harry's brow rose. "What, you too? Merlin, if I'd known this was all I had to do to get some respect, I'd have started using Avada a long time ago."

Severus didn't try to venture a response to that. He watched as Harry and Draco clasped hands, then cast the spell.

Harry spoke, "Do you, Draco Malfoy, vow to take no willful action to bring harm to me or disrupt my plans?"

"I so vow," Draco said quietly.

The brilliant red wire of magic entwined their hands, binding Draco to his vow.

Harry looked at Severus and nodded. The older man ended the spell, shocked by the nature of the vow. Harry could have demanded utter, unquestioning servitude, but he'd stated only a lack of opposition. Maybe Lily's son was not completely gone, after all.

"My Lord," Narcissa said quietly, her head bowed deeply. "If it would please you, my Lord, I would wish to take such a vow."

Harry considered her for a moment, then nodded, "It _would_ please me."

And so Severus cast the spell again and watched as Narcissa bound herself to the very same vow.

Harry's attention turned to him then while Narcissa finally snatched up her son and hugged him tight. Harry glanced at them briefly and Severus saw his eyes flash red for just a moment before he dismissed them. "How about it then, Severus? Do you run back to Dumbledore, or do you take the vow as well. I'm sorry, but I won't be as foolish as Tom. No one serves me without taking that vow." A wry smirk twisted his lips, not quite reaching his eyes, "Particularly not such a talented spy."

Severus noticed Narcissa's eyes widen over Draco's shoulder when Harry outed him as a spy. Not that it could matter in this company, particularly with Voldemort very nearly dead once more.

"You'd truly allow me to leave if I chose it?" Severus asked warily.

Harry seemed to give that a moment of thought. "I admit, I'd prefer not to have you as an enemy," he mused. "It probably would make sense to kill you if you refused," he continued, his tone thoughtful while Severus reflexively clenched his fist tighter around his wand. Then his wry smile returned. "I guess it's a good thing you've saved my life so many times, isn't it? You can leave if you wish, Severus."

Oh course. That would explain why Severus had been spared. Harry would have done it instinctively because of the life debt if nothing else. He'd never directly saved Harry from certain death, so the life debt would not be exceptionally strong. No doubt Harry could kill him outright if he wanted to. But he wouldn't. Because it wasn't about a magical debt, but an honorable one.

That right there proved that some part of Harry remained. Severus wasn't sure what Albus would do about this, particularly as Harry seemed keen to set himself up as the next dark lord. Voldemort was not truly gone any more than he had been after the last time he'd tried to kill Harry. They'd still need the Chosen One, right?

Severus had a bad feeling that Albus may just decide that Harry had done his part and turn against him if he couldn't be controlled. Could Severus ever willfully turn away from Lily's son? He'd spent the last fifteen years protecting Harry from the Dark Lord. Could he spend the next fifteen protecting the boy from himself if he had to?

And what about Draco and Narcissa? They'd tied themselves to Harry now. He couldn't just leave them to the whims of a madman. Even this madman. They were the only people in the whole world – along with Lucius, who was in Azkaban – that actually cared about Severus. And he cared about them in return. He couldn't leave them. And if Albus pitted the Order against Harry, he knew that he couldn't fight anyone in this room.

"I'll take the vow," he said, his voice steadier than he'd expected.

Harry's grin returned. "Narcissa," he said succinctly as he extended his hand to Severus.

Repressing the urge to take a bracing breath, Severus gripped the young man's hand.

Narcissa cast the spell and Harry requested exactly the same vow that Draco and his mother had already given.

"Marvelous," Harry smiled when they were done. He stretched out his hand and his wand leapt into from the floor into his grasp. He tucked it into his back pocket thoughtlessly. "All right then…" he contemplated for a moment before glancing around at the bodies yet littering the room.

"First things first. No one speaks of this vow again," he instructed them all with perfect authority verily radiating from him. "Now, Narcissa, could you see to this mess, please. I don't care what you do with them; just get rid of them." He turned to Severus, "I need for you to go to Grimmauld Place, Severus. Fetch Ron, Hermione, and Remus, and bring them back here. Don't tell anyone about what's happened yet."

"They will ask where I am taking them and why," Severus pointed out.

Harry nodded, "Naturally. You're a good spy, Severus. Lie."

"Yes, my Lord," Severus bowed his head.

"Malfoy," Harry said, turning to address the last of his… minions, for that is surely what they'd become. How had everything changed so drastically in the last quarter hour? "I do believe I'll need a change of clothes," he noted. "I'm quite certain you've got something to fit my mood."

Draco slipped from his mother's arms and nodded. "You want to come look?" he suggested.

Harry nodded, then paused and looked down at Voldemort's corpse again. "Save this one," he said to Narcissa. "We'll want to be able to prove his death, or everyone will probably think he's just Imperiused me."

"Yes, my Lord," she bowed.

"Get on with it, then," Harry said, waving his hands vaguely at all of them.

Severus started toward the front gate beyond which he could disapparate. It was a lucky thing that they were already accustomed to dealing with unstable dark lords.


	3. It Wasn't Even That Hard

**Author's Note:** Chapter 3! And so quickly! Please don't faint! I wouldn't want anyone falling out of their chairs and getting injured. I am overwhelmed by the response I've gotten to this sleep deprived plot bunny so far. You guys rock! For those of you who are wondering, there will be a side pairing of SSHG, feel free to celebrate/mourn as you feel is necessary. Undecided as to other possible pairings, but we will see Lucius in this fic just as soon as I can bust him out of Azkaban!

**Disclaimer:** I DON'T OWN THIS! Really, like any of you were actually wondering…

* * *

**"It Wasn't Even That Hard"**

* * *

x_x…D_M...x_x

Draco struggled to ignore the itch between his shoulder blades that he felt the _entire _way from the ballroom to his personal rooms. Having Potter at his back was particularly chilling. Every time he blinked, he saw it again. That terrible flash of green. Almost everyone in the room falling over dead.

He still didn't understand why Potter had let the three of them live. Draco and the only two people in the room that he cared about. But he hadn't expected Potter to care about any of them. Certainly no _warm_ feelings.

When they reached his rooms, Draco opened his closet to his new lord. He still wasn't sure how to process that, so he was kind of avoiding it for the moment.

Potter looked around his closet briefly, then turned back to Draco with raised brows, "Don't tell me that you expect me to pick something," he frowned.

Draco blinked at the absurdity of that comment. "You expect me to choose your clothes for you, Potter? No one's taught you to dress yourself by now?"

The instant that the words were out of his mouth, he was regretting them. Green eyes turned blazing crimson, and Draco found himself on his knees. "I apologize, my Lord," he breathed, wondering if he was about to die or just be tortured. He could NOT forget that this was not the Harry Potter that he'd gone to school with. This was not the man who'd snipe right back at him and hesitate to attack. This was the man that had just murdered nearly twenty people and _laughed _about it.

"Malfoy, get up!" Potter snapped.

Draco stood quickly. He risked darting his eyes up and was immensely relieved to find green eyes looking back at him, even if he didn't let himself relax. Experience told him he'd still be punished for openly _mocking _his lord.

The way that Potter was looking at him now, Draco could only guess that he was trying to figure out the best punishment.

"My Lord, I…" Draco started.

"Shut up!" Potter snapped.

Draco obeyed.

Potter ran a hand heavily through his messy black hair. Finally, he took a deep breath and straightened again, shrugging back into the cloak of authority that he'd worn before they left the ballroom. "I'm assuming that you _were _taught how to dress yourself, Malfoy," he said irritably.

"Yes, my Lord," Draco replied carefully.

"Then would I be correct in assuming that you can also figure out how to dress me?"

"Yes, my Lord," this time uncertainly.

"Good. Find me something suitable to wear, preferably before everyone gets back."

Draco bowed his head a little, then hurried into the depths of his expansive closet to locate something for Potter. Not wanting to keep him waiting, he prayed that his assumption of Potter's idea of "suitable" wouldn't get him cursed.

**x_x…S_S...x_x**

Severus allowed himself to draw a brief, steadying breath when he appeared before the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. He just had to abscond with a werewolf and two-thirds of the Golden Trio without telling the truth or raising suspicion. Thank goodness Harry didn't expect much of him.

Exhaling the breath in a huff, he drew his Occlumency shields up more tightly – Albus was most likely in the house, after all – put on his most annoyed scowl, and prowled into the house. He went upstairs first, sure that the duo would be up there if the night's scheduled meeting was still taking place.

He knocked on the door, since the last thing he wanted was to inadvertently walk in on the bushy know-it-all and the ginger menace in some kind of intimate moment.

"Who is it?" Granger's voice echoed out.

"Open the door, Miss Granger," Severus responded sharply, sure that his drawl required no introduction.

There was a muffled exclamation that sounded like surprise, and then quick footsteps. The door was pulled open to reveal two teenagers who – blessedly – did not bear the telltale signs of amorous activities.

Inside the room, the two youngest Weasleys were seated on the floor with enough room to prove that Granger had probably just left their little circle. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he examined the fact that he'd clearly interrupted a confidential conversation. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, come with me." Without waiting to be sure that they'd follow, he turned and swept back down the stairs. Of course they would follow.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he turned to find that they were indeed both right behind him. I pressed a finger lightly to his lips with a glance at the portrait of Mrs. Black, then led them both out onto the front step.

"What's going on, Professor?" Granger asked with clear concern in her voice once the door was securely shut behind them.

"Mr. Potter has managed to put himself into a bit of a situation," he explained, disdain dripping from his voice. He didn't bother to hide it, since he was sure they'd expect it. "I'll need you both to come with me."

"Is Harry okay?" Weasley blurted immediately.

"For the moment," Severus sneered at the redhead. "Wait here. Do not leave this step," he said severely.

Granger nodded immediately, and, after a glance at her, the idiot followed suit.

Trusting the decently sensible witch to keep the impulsive weasel in check, Severus went back inside, trotting down the steps to the kitchen. He opened the door, and was met by a wall of noise as he passed the silencing ward. The "meeting" had evidently devolved into an argument the likes of which he'd not seen since Sirius had died. No one so much as glanced toward the door at his entrance.

"…be out there looking for him right now!" Lupin was shouting at a very disgruntled Moody.

"Which rock should we start looking under?" the auror growled in return. "He could be anywhere."

"There's only so many places Harry would go!" Lupin continued in the unnecessarily loud tone.

"Well, I think we can rule out the Dursleys," one of the twins commented cheerfully.

"Aye!" the other laughed, willfully oblivious to the dark mood of the elder wizards. "He'd sooner stay with the Malfoys!"

Had his mask not been firmly in place, Severus would have shaken his head at that comment.

Lupin ignored the twins, "We can't just sit here and wait for him to come back!"

"He's a teenager. He'll come back when he's done throwing his fit," Moody huffed.

"Fit! Teenager!? That is the attitude that drove him to leave in the first place, you idiot! Half of wizarding Britain would floo a Death Eater at the first sight of Harry-"

"Silence!" Albus bellowed.

The room quieted in pure surprise at the outburst. "Have you heard any word of Harry, Severus?"

Severus lifted one eyebrow inquiringly, "Not until I entered this room. I take it that he has fled?" he sneered with just a touch of amusement for good measure. Albus was the only one who understood the way that Severus truly felt about Harry – or how he'd felt about him prior to tonight. Severus still hadn't figured out how to refine his feelings to factor in the night's events. He'd have to wait and see what Harry did next.

The werewolf turned on him in fury, "No thanks to you!" he shouted. "What did you do to him when you were supposed to be teaching him Occlumency?!"

Severus felt a shiver of uncertainty at the question. Had Harry mentioned that right before leaving? What had he said? If the boy had been angry with him right before… It was even more surprising that he was alive. He did not allow his uncertainty to touch his mask. "I did nothing," Severus said without concern. "The boy is incapable of learning such a delicate discipline…"

"Shut the hell up!" Lupin screamed.

Severus could have groaned. Why did the werewolf have to be in a fit when he needed him to be uncharacteristically reasonable? Well, that would be Harry's fault as well, Severus supposed. He was beginning to suspect that serving Harry was going to be as trying as serving both Voldemort and Dumbledore at the same time. At least he'd been able to anticipate the latter two with reasonable accuracy.

He turned his attention to Dumbledore, "I have nothing new to report. The revel was merely to provide entertainment, as the Dark Lord was bored. I only came down here because Miss Granger was weeping in the library, and it was beginning to annoy me. She was moaning about Potter, so I figured you may be able to quiet her," he sneered at Lupin.

The werewolf's fury fell toward concern at that, and he immediately left the kitchen. Thank Merlin for gullible Gryffindors of all ages.

"If you don't need me, Albus, I'm going to bed."

Albus nodded pensively, dismissing him without a second thought.

_Of_ all _ages_, Severus thought triumphantly as he left the kitchen and caught up to Lupin at the door of the library.

"She's outside," Severus said quietly as he passed the werewolf.

Predictably, Lupin was right behind him when he stepped outside. He looked between the two young Gryffindors briefly, then looked at Severus sharply. "What's going on, Snape?" he demanded.

"Potter needs your help," he explained ruefully.

Alarm filled his face, "Is he in trouble?! Why didn't you tell Albus?"

"Believe me, at this point, that would only make it worse," Severus said wearily. "We don't have the time to argue about this, Lupin!" he snapped when the werewolf opened his mouth. "Go back inside and cry to Albus if you wish, but I am going after Harry."

His use of Harry's given name was the deciding factor, as he'd expected. Lupin had a vague idea of how he felt about Harry. "Where is he?"

"Malfoy Manor," Severus admitted.

Three faces paled in unison.

"Is he…?" Granger breathed at the same time that Weasley nearly shouted, "Malfoy Manor!?"

Severus lifted a hand sharply to still them. "The Dark Lord is not there," he lied, since he was pretty sure the corpse still was. "The danger will be minimal."

"We _need _to tell Albus!" Lupin insisted.

"Did you hear me, wolf?" Severus growled. "Albus cannot help him right now. You three can. Now. Are. You. Coming."

"We're with you, sir," Granger said almost instantly, and Weasley reluctantly nodded along.

Lupin growled quietly, but nodded sharply. He snatched up Weasley's hand while Severus took Granger's, as she was closer to him, and they apparated almost as one.

**x_x…H_G...x_x**

Hermione's entire body began trembling as she emerged from that awful crushing blackness to find herself standing before the towering black gates of a dark, foreboding mansion. She gripped her wand tightly and commanded herself to calm down and think rationally.

She didn't realize that she was still holding Severus' hand until he wrenched it from her grip. She'd have blushed if she hadn't been so terrified.

"All right, Snape," Remus growled. "Where's Harry, and how many are we facing?"

"He was inside with Draco and Narcissa when I left," Snape said with a small smirk as he stepped toward the gate. He lifted his left arm before the gate and it swung open.

Stomach turning, Hermione realized that the Dark Mark worked like a key. That said an awful lot about what they were walking into.

"Snape, we need a plan!" Remus hissed as Snape moved to start toward the manor.

"I'd not have brought you here if the house was filled with Death Eaters," Snape drawled far too casually. "I think we can handle Draco and Narcissa if it comes to a fight."

Remus did not look convinced, but Hermione knew that there was some bad blood between the two of them, so she didn't think he was being objective. She stepped forward determinedly. "Remus, Professor Snape has had more than enough opportunities to betray us," she pointed out coolly. "Now, either we trust him and go inside, or we go back to Professor Dumbledore right now and gather the Order to attack. Personally, I'm going inside. Come on, Ron."

She glanced at Professor Snape to see him looking mildly surprised before she brushed passed him, heading toward the manor and trusting that he was going to catch up before anyone inside the manor spotted her.

She didn't quite sigh in relief when Snape and Ron both caught her up inside five steps, but she did smile when Remus joined them a few steps later. He still had his wand drawn, but at least he was with them.

Snape led them right through the front door, and Hermione instinctively tensed when she saw Draco approaching them. She just had time to wonder at the fact that he didn't look surprised to see them when the figure behind the blonde captured her attention.

**x_x…H_P...x_x**

Harry admired himself in the mirror. He was rather astonished at the transformation that could be accomplished with just a change of clothes. If he'd have fully comprehended the power of a wardrobe, he'd have invested in one sooner. A slight smile tugged at his mouth when he considered Draco in a Weasley jumper. Yes, clothing had power of a sort. Luckily, he had Draco, who seemed quite adept at finding Harry suitable attire. He'd have to send Draco to commission him a new wardrobe when he had the time.

"Severus has returned, my Lord," Draco said quietly from behind him.

Harry grinned wide at the news. He wanted to set off at a run to find them, but he did not know his way around the manor yet. Rather than risk getting lost, he nodded to Draco, "Lead the way."

Of course, Draco did not run. His pace was brisk, but stiff and formal, just like everything about the annoying Slytherin.

After what seemed a ridiculously long time, they rounded a corner into what Harry realized was the entryway when he spotted his friends at the door.

Grinning at the sight of them, he broke into a run, picking Hermione up in a crushing hug. He'd never been so glad to see the lot of them in his life, and that included immediately following previous summer "holidays".

"Harry!" Hermione gasped as he put her down.

"What's going on?" Remus demanded at the same time.

Harry huffed a quick breath and tried to settle down a bit. "There's got to be a better place to talk in this house," he reasoned, turning to Draco.

"The drawing room," Draco said succinctly, turning to lead the way, and Harry could have kissed him for neglecting to use the honorific for once. Then again, he wasn't stupid. He must have figured out that Harry wouldn't want everyone to find out that way. He still could have kissed him.

The room that Draco led them into was dominated by a long table surrounded by a number of chairs, and headed with the thronelike chair that Voldemort had certainly utilized. It had been a meeting room for Voldemort's inner circle, Harry surmised.

Draco muttered a spell with a wave of his wand and the table scaled down to seat eight, the extra chairs skittering back to line the far wall.

"Thank you, Malfoy," Harry smirked as he moved to take the head seat. He slumped down in the chair, intentionally mocking the regal poise he imagined Voldemort would have assumed. "Why don't you go see how your mother's coming along?" he suggested, kicking his feet up and crossing his ankles on the table while he motioned for Severus and his friends to be seated. Severus took the seat furthest away while Hermione sat near Harry's feet next to Ron and Remus took the other side.

"What is going on here, Harry?" Remus asked the moment they were all settled.

Harry grinned at him, "Voldemort's dead!"

Disbelief took the place of the cheers that should have sounded. Harry frowned, disappointed, but not greatly surprised. "Seriously," he assured them. "I can have Narcissa fetch us his corpse right now if you like."

"How?" Hermione whispered.

"I killed him," Harry shrugged, going for nonchalant, but spoiling it when he couldn't keep the grin from his face. He had a morbid urge to jump up and dance on the table, but he repressed it. Despite what Hermione said, he did have _some _decorum.

"How?" she asked again.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Come on, guys. I'm really starting to think that none of you ever thought I'd actually succeed."

"It's not that, Harry," Remus said, his tone overly soothing. "We're just wondering how this came about."

Harry considered him for a moment, then decided to accept the story for the moment. "I don't really know," he admitted thoughtfully. "I was so angry when I left tonight… I apparated."

Hermione's eyes widened, "You did?"

He grinned a bit at that. He should have known she'd be impressed. She was always astounded when he did something that she hadn't mastered yet. "Yeah. I knew what I wanted to do and I just did it. I didn't really know where I meant to go, though. I mean, where _was _there to go? Anyway, I ended up here. Not two meters away from Voldemort himself," he chuckled.

"How'd you do it, mate?" Ron asked, leaning forward in his chair eagerly.

"Avada Kedavra," Harry said as modestly as he could.

Ron's jaw dropped, Hermione's eyes bulged, and Remus choked.

Harry laughed at the lot of them.

"Who else was here?" Remus asked when he'd recovered. "Voldemort wouldn't have been alone." He glanced at Severus.

"It wasn't me," Severus assured him tersely.

Three sets of eyes turned to Harry again.

"I don't fully know what happened," Harry admitted, moving his feet off the table so that he could sit up. "I didn't have my wand, so I wasn't focusing the spell like I would have otherwise-"

"You cast the Killing Curse wandlessly?" Remus breathed.

Harry grinned. He couldn't help it. He was rather impressed with himself too. "It wasn't even that hard," he laughed.

He looked around at the stark white faces in the silence that greeted him. "Come on," he complained. "They were Death Eaters," he pointed out.

"How many?" Remus whispered.

That was a good question. Harry looked curiously at Severus.

"Seventeen," he replied quietly but without judgment, which made him the only one in the room who didn't seem to be judging Harry. "In addition to Voldemort," he added judiciously.

If possible, his friends seemed to have paled further. He was beginning to worry that the lot of them would faint.

He pushed himself out of his chair irritably. "Honestly, guys, I thought you'd be happy! Voldemort is dead!" he stressed.

"We are happy, Harry," Remus said.

"No, now you're patronizing me," Harry snapped at the older man. He looked at the three of them and shook his head in frustration. "I can't deal with this tonight. I'm going to bed. We'll talk in the morning. Answer their questions, Severus," he said on his way out the door. "Maybe you can talk sense into them."

* * *

**If you liked, I'll accept my pat on the head in the form of a review please. n_n**


	4. Right, My Sanity

**Author's Note:** Okay, so I know that the horcruxes came in during HBP, but for the purposes of this story, I'm going to assume that Hermione, with her intellect and insatiable curiosity, discovered the truth of the diary through independent study. After she presented her finding to Harry, he asked Dumbledore, who confirmed it and shared the truth about Riddle's horcruxes with Harry shortly after the Department of Mysteries. If this alteration offends any of you purists out there, I apologize, but as no one called me on his knowledge of it after the reference in chapter one, I'm going to assume you'll let it slide.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, universe, characters, or anything else related to this except for some of the plot. I know. You're shocked.

* * *

**"Right, My Sanity"**

* * *

x_x…S_S...x_x

A long moment of silence followed Harry's departure. Severus wasn't really surprised by the way that had gone. For whatever reason, Harry seemed incapable of understanding why anyone was even surprised by his uncharacteristically bloodthirsty countenance. Severus was fairly convinced that it was some form of insanity. He was just praying that it was both mild and temporary, or they'd all be in trouble.

Granger was the first to speak. "Did you see his eyes?" she whispered.

"Yes," Lupin responded just as quietly.

"Bloody hell," Weasley moaned. "I was hoping that was just the candlelight."

Severus didn't really blame them for being unnerved by that. He didn't like it either.

"Sir," Granger said thoughtfully. "What Harry said to you… the _way _that he said it… Did he just give you an… order?"

"I have sworn to serve him," Severus admitted, forcing himself to ignore her stammering. He really didn't want to know what Harry's reaction would be if the boy found out that he was belittling his friends. Besides, Granger was the most reasonable of the lot.

Lupin made another choking sound. Weasley looked like he might faint.

Granger swallowed hard, but otherwise took it quite well. "Serve him," she muttered to herself.

"Why would he need _servants_?!" Weasley sputtered.

"Honestly, Ronald!" Granger scolded before Severus could decide whether to give in to the urge to snap at the boy. "I think it's pretty obvious. Malfoy all but bowed to him, and by the way he offered to have Narcissa _fetch_…" She started to look a little green as she failed to finish that sentence.

"What's happened to him?" Lupin demanded of Severus. "That… boy who just left. That wasn't Harry-"

For all their touted nobility, Gryffindors certainly seemed quick to abandon their friends… Not that that should have surprised Severus, really. "The part that Potter neglected to mention was that Voldemort also used a Killing Curse tonight," Severus snarled at the werewolf. "And, yet again, Potter survived it!"

Well, at least that managed to shut them up. "It was _after _he'd risen from certain death that he cast the Killing Curse, and he spared Narcissa, Draco, and myself. Believe me when I tell you that no one else in that room deserved his mercy."

"Does Harry…" Hermione cleared her throat and began again, more steadily. "Does Harry intend to be the next dark lord?"

"He has not yet stated his intentions," Severus admitted, and considered his words carefully to decide whether they would harm Harry or his plans. Given what he knew, he decided they were more likely to help. "It is possible. What I do know is that he does not intend to follow Albus anymore."

Granger was starting to look a bit green again.

"Narcissa, Draco, and myself have sworn our allegiance to him, and I believe that he intends the three of you to join him, if not swear to him as well."

"Swear in what manner?" Granger pressed shrewdly.

Was she this discerning in class? How had he not noticed before? Again, he considered his response. They'd been ordered not to speak of the Vow, but he had also been ordered to answer their questions. In his opinion, the conflicting orders left the decision to his discretion. "We have each given an Unbreakable Vow to bring no willful harm to him or his plans. Beyond that, he has taken us at our word."

Weasley dropped his head onto his arms on the table and moaned something indiscernible. Lupin had buried his face in one of his hands. Only Granger seemed to yet be weighing the situation. "That's reasonable," she said after a moment, then immediately glared at her companions' startled looks. "It _is_!" she insisted. "First of all, two of them were his enemies this morning, and Professor Snape – I'm sorry, sir – is a spy. That Vow was the very least he could have reasonably accepted. Honestly, it would have been insane to do anything less."

Severus winced internally at her choice of phrasing.

"Are you really okay with this?!" Weasley demanded. "Harry's gonna be as bad as Vold-demort!" he stumbled over saying the name aloud.

"Don't say that!" Granger growled at her friend a bit shrilly. "You do not know that! Look, Harry's had a really awful year! First with Professor Dumbledore ignoring him, and then Professor Snape – sorry, sir – teaching him Occlumency!"

Severus actually had to repress a smirk. The fact that she even felt the need to keep apologizing to him every time she said something true about him was bemusing, to say the least. The fact that she actually seemed to genuinely _mean _the apologies, was something else altogether.

"With Voldemort worming around in his head, and that foul scar leaving him in agony every other day, it's a wonder he has any sanity left! Then Sirius gets killed right in front of him, and the Order treats him like some barely tolerated child! Then he actually kills Voldemort and a whole slew of Death Eaters – which was our _goal _if you'll remember, Ronald – and all we can do is stare at him as if he's lost his mind!"

"But what if he has?" Weasley insisted.

"If he had, then no one in this house would have survived!" Granger snapped.

Severus would have agreed with her if he hadn't thought it would hurt her cause.

"Harry must be so angry with us," she despaired.

"_Him_ angry with _us_?" Weasley demanded.

"She's right, Ron," Lupin sighed, finally deigning to help. "Harry's only done exactly what he was meant to do. He just did it a little sooner than we expected. He's probably just a bit in shock at how quickly it all happened."

"But what's with swearing people to serve him?" Weasley pressed stubbornly.

Lupin looked at Severus.

Making the effort to avoid rolling his eyes, he addressed all of them. "Harry has not yet divulged his plans, as I've said," he repeated as politely as he was able. "You'll have to wait and speak to him in the morning. For now, it is probably best we all went to bed. I'll have Narcissa arrange a room for each of you."

Though Weasley continued to mumble complaints, and Lupin looked a lot more worried than he'd claimed to be, they were soon ushered off toward the guest wing.

"Thank you, sir," Granger said quietly as she lingered after the departure of the other two.

Severus frowned at her uncertainly. "For what, Miss Granger?"

"For looking after Harry," she replied soberly. "You stood behind him when you didn't have to. So, thank you."

She turned and slipped into her room before Severus could figure out what to say to that.

He stared after her for a moment before shaking his head and turning toward the ballroom to find Narcissa. He'd always known that Granger was the brains behind that trio, but he'd not really expected her to be so sensible and level-headed. From what he'd seen tonight, she was barely even a Gryffindor. Maybe that was why Harry had managed to survive this long.

He found Narcissa just finishing up her task, and quickly instructed her to be sure the manor was secure not only against intrusion, but excursion.

"You think they'll try to run to Dumbledore?" she asked in an undertone despite the fact that they were completely alone.

"It's possible," he allowed. "I don't think we have to worry about Granger, but Weasley and the werewolf have considerable doubts. It would be best to ensure they are all here to speak with Harry in the morning."

"The mudblood is the reasonable one?" Narcissa asked, surprised.

"Careful, Cissa," Severus frowned. "It would be very dangerous to let Harry hear you say that word." She'd not said it with any real derision, but she'd still said it. Severus really couldn't predict how Harry would react to it, even spoken so mildly.

She swallowed hard and nodded quickly. "I'll remember that."

"See that you do," he encouraged.

"Severus, do you know why he spared us?" she asked urgently.

He shook his head, "I can only speculate. Neither Draco nor I have ever been kind to him. Not by any definition of the word. I expect that he recognized that I was an ally, and not truly aligned with Voldemort." It still felt strange to speak his name aloud, but calling him the Great Lord was absolutely out of the question, and "dark lord"… Well, that title may now belong to Harry.

"I honestly cannot imagine why he chose to spare you and Draco while giving no apparent thought to the others."

She frowned pensively. "We need to figure it out before we unwittingly do something to make him change his mind."

Severus nodded his agreement.

"Gabby," she called.

The house elf appeared with a crack, bowing to brush his long nose on the floor. "How may Gabby serve mistress?" he quavered quietly.

"Bring Draco to me."

**x_x…H_P...x_x**

Harry took another pull directly from the bottle of firewhiskey, regretting the fact that he'd frightened the house elf who'd delivered it. He was just so fucking angry! The three people that he actually considered friends were treating him like shit while his three former enemies treated him with respect. He honestly didn't know what to do with that.

"The ballroom has been cleaned, my Lord," Draco's quiet voice came from the doorway. "Voldemort's body has been preserved and is stored in the dungeons until it is needed."

"Come in here, Draco," Harry bade.

There was a moment's hesitation, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching. Harry gestured him into the chair opposite and the blonde sat, his posture perfect, his countenance nervous.

"You're afraid of me," Harry stated.

Draco frowned warily.

Harry sighed, letting his head fall back as he took another pull of whiskey, enjoying the burn in his throat. "I'm not going to curse you, Draco. I am _not _Voldemort."

"I know that, my Lord," he replied quietly.

"Enough with the 'my lord' shit," Harry cringed, then reluctantly amended, "at least when we're alone."

"What do you want me to call you?" he questioned nervously.

"How about Harry," he huffed.

"Okay."

"My friends think that I'm insane, you know," he grumbled, taking another swig. He shook his head, "Do you think they're right?"

When no answer was forthcoming, Harry tipped his head down again so that he could look at his former nemesis.

Draco swallowed hard, "I don't think you're insane."

Harry narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "You wouldn't just be saying that to placate the nutter, would you?"

Draco's shoulders shook with one brief, poorly repressed laugh.

Harry finally smiled. He extended the bottle toward the other man. "Here, try this."

Draco accepted it warily and brought it slowly toward his lips as though the very concept of drinking directly from the bottle offended his sensibilities but he was too intimidated to say anything.

Harry laughed heartily, feeling his spirits rise considerably at the discomfort on the man's face. "Here," he offered, conjuring a glass and passing it over.

Draco started slightly as it appeared in Harry's outstretched hand, but accepted it with a small nod, pouring out two fingers.

"You'll probably need more than that," Harry chuckled, commandeering the bottle and filling the glass almost to the top. "You've got to catch up," he explained before leaning back in his chair to take another drink directly from the bottle, kind of hoping it would annoy Draco.

The blonde took a deep breath, then tipped the glass back and drained nearly half of it in one pull. He only coughed slightly when he'd swallowed it.

Harry grinned, "That's more like it. Now, where were we? Right, my sanity." That topic brought his frown back. "You're happy that they're all dead, right?"

Draco nodded, reverting to sipping delicately at his glass now. "Yes, my- Harry." He said the name awkwardly as though it was a collection of sounds he'd never expected to pass his lips in such a way.

"Try this," Harry suggested, "pretend like today never happened. Pretend like we're still enemies. And tell me what you really think."

Draco paled. "I, ah…" He took another drink, this one deeper, cleared his throat quietly, and tried again. "I guess, I'd say… Well, I'd probably say something stupid and mean, actually. Assuming that I was being honest, however…" He frowned thoughtfully, then met Harry's eyes again, more boldly. "I'd say that I've never seen anything more brilliant than the look on that psychopath's face when you got back up. I'd say that I've never been more terrified in my life than I was when that curse filled the room." He looked down at his glass when he said that, but his voice was still strong.

"I want to laugh every time I remember that they're all gone," he said solemnly enough that laughing was clearly the furthest thing from his mind. "Why'd you spare my mother and me, Harry?" he asked so quietly that Harry barely caught it in the nearly silent room.

Harry considered the question. He hadn't really given it much thought since immediately after it had happened. Why _had _he let Draco live? He'd been horrible to him. Well, they'd been horrible to each other really, but Draco had usually been the one to start it.

"I mean, evidently Severus has been spying for Dumbledore this whole time, so I can kind of see why you let him live, but why me?" Draco went on. "And you only know my mother by reputation, like a lot of the Death Eaters that you killed tonight."

Why _had _he left Draco alive? Was it just because he did know him, even if he didn't like him? Because the thought of killing a schoolmate was just different from killing random Death Eaters?

No, that couldn't be it. He'd been only too eager to kill everyone in that room tonight. After what they'd done, they all deserved it. He didn't regret a single one of them.

An answer brushed at the back of Harry's mind and he mentally batted it away. It was ridiculous; certainly not reason enough to spare a Death Eater's life. Right?

"I think… There's a part of me that always kind of understood you," he said thoughtfully, pausing to take another long drink, hoping to wash away that other answer.

To Draco's blank look, he continued.

"We're kind of alike in a way," Harry admitted, ignoring the slight slur that was touching his words. "We both had other people telling us who we were and who we were supposed to be. I never had a choice in becoming Voldemort's arch nemesis. I mean, I already was when I was a year old. You never had a choice about following him, considering that your family has been for generations.

"I suppose I wanted to give you a chance. See if that's who you really were, or if there was as much more to you as there is to me than being the Boy-Who-Lived," he sneered the title.

Draco was still for a moment, then tipped back his glass and drained the remainder, accepting Harry's silent offer for a refill.

"So what'd'ya think?" Harry inquired when Draco had taken another large swig from his refilled glass. "Can we put the last five years behind us and start over?" he offered, extending his hand.

Draco looked at it a moment, then a wry smile twisted his lips, "I should refuse you. It'd be fair turnabout." But he pressed his palm to Harry's and gave his hand a firm shake.

Harry grinned, raising his bottle. "To friends of the wrong sort," he declared.

Draco smirked and clinked his glass against the bottle. He finally leaned back in his chair – just a little – his posture portraying that he was relaxed, one of the first such instances that Harry had ever witnessed.

"So what are you going to do now?" Draco wondered after a moment. "Voldemort's dead. You're cutting ties with the Dumble-dork. Accruing minions," he smirked that last.

Harry sighed at the sobering topic. "Voldemort's not gone, Draco," he admitted. "He'll be back, just as he was the last time."

Draco almost choked on his drink. "Are you _serious_? How?"

"Have you ever heard of a horcrux?" Harry wondered.

Draco's brow furrowed in thought. "It sounds familiar, but…" he shook his head.

"Essentially, you shear off a piece of your soul by murdering someone, and then affix that piece to an object, storing it separate from your body so that if you die, it remains, and you can come back," Harry explained. "It's extremely dark magic, and probably the reason old snake face barely even looked human anymore."

"How'd you find out about that?" Draco breathed, looking astounded.

"Hermione, of course," Harry shrugged. "Dumbledore confirmed it when I asked him about it. Riddle, evidently, made a bunch of them. I destroyed one in second year – the diary."

Draco grimaced, suddenly looking uneasy. Probably because his dad had given that diary to Ginny.

Harry considered how to respond to that – the alcohol probably wasn't making it any easier to think... But then, that was kind of the point. "It wasn't right what your father did," he acknowledged, prompting Draco to lift his eyes warily. "Ginny and I both almost died, and so did a lot of other people when the Chamber of Secrets was opened, but…"

But? How did you add a "but" to that?

"Well, it gave me the chance to destroy one of the horcruxes," Harry reasoned.

"Did you really go into the Chamber of Secrets?" Draco asked hesitantly.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. You've got to speak Parseltongue to open it-"

"And you really killed the basilisk?" Draco pressed on more eagerly.

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, I did. Course, it would have killed me too, if not for Fawkes. Phoenix tears are one of the only things that can defeat basilisk venom."

Draco shook his head slowly. "Well, I'm really glad you didn't die."

Harry's brow rose in surprise.

The blonde huffed a laugh, "Well, if you'd died, then snake-face would still be alive, wouldn't he?"

Harry grinned at that. "Good point."

For a moment, they were both lost in silent thought before Draco quietly asked, "He's going to come back?"

"Well, not if I can help it," Harry admitted. "That's what I plan to do. I'm going to see if we can find a way to locate his horcruxes and destroy them before he can come back. If not, I'm going to build myself enough of an army to obliterate him when he does come back."

Draco's brow rose. "You're going to build an army?" he asked in surprise.

Harry shrugged, "Well, probably not a huge army, mind. Kind of like… my own version of the Death Eaters, but, you know, with souls."

Draco huffed a quiet laugh. "You really are the new dark lord, then."

Harry took another drink and slouched a little more in his seat, kicking his feet up on what was probably an insanely expensive table by the way Draco winced when his feet hit it. "I don't know. The title would certainly get me all the recognition I could ever want – and more – but I don't know if that's the image that I really want. I want to be taken seriously, but not immediately loathed. Besides, I don't want to only recruit people looking for power."

Draco put his slender chin in his palm, his expression turning thoughtful. "Are you planning on going back to school?"

"Of course," Harry frowned. He hadn't explicitly considered it, but it had seemed obvious.

Draco smirked a little, "And you don't think Dumbledore might be a concern? I mean, unless you're planning on pretending to go back to him, and-"

"No," Harry interrupted. "I'm done being led around by my nose. I can't even imagine what he'll think of what happened here today. I've got… Well, I don't know if it really qualifies as a plan, but it's the makings of one. I've got to talk to Hermione about it. Assuming that she's still talking to me." He sighed at that reminder.

"I'm sure she'll come around," Draco commiserated.

Harry blinked at the uncharacteristic show of support. "What makes you say that?" he asked warily, half expecting that the Slytherin was just setting him up for ridicule as he'd so often done in the past.

"Are you serious?" Draco asked incredulously. "After everything you idiots have gotten up to over the years, you really think she's going to desert you now?"

Harry considered that for a moment, then realized that Draco had just called him an idiot. Improbably, he grinned. "Did you just call your lord an idiot, Draco?"

The other man shifted a bit in mild unease. "Well, I thought I just called my friend an idiot," he reasoned.

Harry laughed in pleasure, and pushed himself up out of the chair. He felt the sudden need to move around, even if he didn't know what he wanted to do. He stopped at the window, looking out at a beautifully manicured courtyard. "Merlin, I wish they were as open-minded as you. Or maybe that they had a stronger sense of self-preservation," he added with a wry smirk. "Maybe I need more friends from Slytherin."

"Well, you'll have them if you want them," Draco commented as he too rose. He paced to the other side of the wide window and joined Harry in looking outside, though he didn't seem remotely interested in anything out there.

"You think so?" Harry wondered. "You don't think they'll just automatically side against me because I'm… Well, I'm Harry Potter, aren't I?"

Draco smirked and Harry realized that the smirk really did look good on him when he wasn't employing it to mock Harry. "Oh, I imagine they'll come around pretty quickly. Particularly if I speak for you. I mean, with how vocal I've always been with my hatred for you, they'll have to know that there's a reason for it."

Harry frowned at that. "Did you really hate me so much?"

Draco shrugged, casting a quick glance at Harry before looking away. "I had to hate you – given who you were. And the way you practically spat in my face when I offered you my friendship first year."

Harry sighed heavily and shook his head as he looked out the window again. "You know, it's all Hagrid's fault in a way. If he'd told me how to get through the barrier to platform 9 ¾, I may not have met Ron first thing. If he hadn't warned me against you, and if I hadn't seen the way that you treated him… Well, I probably would have accepted your friendship."

"Why _did_ you back him so quickly?" Draco asked with a small sneer.

"He seemed nice enough," Harry shrugged. "I think it was really when you started bullying him, though. I got bullied a lot growing up. Kind of made me instantly hate you."

"_You _were bullied?" Draco blinked at him. "The Great Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, was _bullied_?"

Harry scowled at him, but softened it when he saw Draco flinch. "My life wasn't perfect, Malfoy," he snapped. "I grew up with muggles who didn't know anything about the wizarding war, and wouldn't have cared even if they did know." He turned his sullen gaze back to the window, seeing his reflection rather than what lay beyond. "I was nothing but an annoyance and an embarrassment to them…" he said quietly, trailing off when he noticed his eyes in the reflection. They were almost glowing red!

He turned away quickly, closing his eyes.

He felt Draco's hand on his arm, but he didn't open his eyes. "I didn't know," he said quietly from right in front of Harry.

Harry reluctantly opened his eyes, searching the silver ones that watched him. He didn't see derision or even pity, but apology in those eyes.

This was a side of Draco that he'd never seen before. It was a side that was bringing to the surface a lot of things that he didn't let himself think about.

His eyes fell to Draco's lips. A few drinks ago, he'd have realized what he was about to do and stopped himself. A few drinks ago, he may not have even seriously considered it in the first place.

But he did consider it.

And he didn't stop himself.

A small step forward was all that was needed to catch Draco's lips with his. He captured the other man in a tight embrace as his tongue parted those impossibly sweet lips and plundered the mouth beyond. Beginning to harden immediately, he ground his hips into Draco and fisted his hair as he laid his claim on this boy that he'd never before allowed himself to want.

A quiet sound of distress from Draco thrust him back to reality more surely than any sobering potion, and he all but threw himself away. He turned immediately toward the window, unable to face him.

"Harry," a breathless whisper from behind him.

"Get out," Harry growled. He waited for the sound for footsteps making a rapid retreat, but it didn't come. "GET OUT!" he shouted hoarsely.

This time, he got the desired response.

When he heard the door close behind Draco, he let his forehead fall against the cool glass. Merlin, what had he done? Was he really so desperate for some sympathy? Kind eyes and an apology had completely stolen all semblance of his restraint. Well, the firewhiskey probably had something to do with it, too, but that was no excuse.

He put his back to the window and sank down onto the floor. He summoned the firewhiskey from the expensive table with a wandless _accio_ and took several long pulls, trying to burn away the memory.

Despite their deal to be friends and anything amicable that had passed between them tonight, Harry knew that Draco was terrified of him yet, which was probably understandable considering what had happened earlier. If he started taking advantage of people like that just because they were too afraid to tell him not to, then he truly was no better than Voldemort. In some ways, he might be even worse.

And Draco. Of all people. The one person in the world that Harry had always fancied. Despite how desperately he'd denied it the last couple of years, that was now a lost cause. He'd never in his life felt better than he had for that moment that he'd allowed himself the delusion that that had been mutual. Continuing to deny it to himself had just become absurd.

Harry Potter, the Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived, the budding Dark Lord, was completely gay. And he'd just sexually assaulted the object of his desires.

He tipped the bottle back again, intent on finishing it this time.


	5. This Is My War

**Author's Note:** Okay, this chapter is dedicated to HowDracoGotHisGrooveBack for her _wonderful _Drarry, Chasing Draco, which had provided ample inspiration to keep me working on this. Thank you very kindly.

HUGE thanks to **mama123** for spitballing this one with me! I promise that Ron isn't going to be a dunderhead for too much longer, and that's all thanks to her excellent insight into his character!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, characters, universe, etc. I make no money from this. Ever. Sadly. Now that my arse is decently covered, read on!

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**"This Is My War"**

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x_x…D_M...x_x

Breakfast was a silent affair. Harry sat at the head of the table, of course. Severus sat to his right, next to Narcissa and then Draco. Granger sat on Harry's left followed by Ron and Lupin. Slytherins facing Gryffindors without so much as a glare crossing the table. It was eerie, and that wasn't even accounting for the man who'd brought them together.

Draco had little appetite, but he made an effort to move food from his plate to his mouth, chew, swallow, and repeat. It was something he'd learned to do when Voldemort had taken up residence at Malfoy Manor. He found his eyes continually drawn toward the end of the table.

He'd barely slept last night, unable to stop thinking about what had happened in Harry's sitting room. Despite literally hours devoted to the pursuit, he could make no sense of what had passed between them. Of course, his firewhiskey dulled brain certainly hadn't helped matters. He was just glad that the manor was well stocked with hangover remedy potions. He'd have to thank Severus later.

Despite… well, everything, talking to Harry had been… pleasant. Though he'd have considered the very idea insane only yesterday morning – had it really been only yesterday that Voldemort had sat in that chair? – he thought he really could see himself becoming something like friends with Harry.

There mere fact that he found no difficulty in thinking of him as Harry rather than Potter or any of the less desirable nicknames he'd given him over the years proved that _something_ had happened last night. At least, from Draco's perspective, it had. He had no idea what it meant to Harry. And that was driving him insane.

Harry had kissed him. Kissed. His heart accelerated again at the very thought of it. Draco had known for some time that he favored men, but he'd not have guessed that Harry did. Probably, he should have. Honestly, the bloody Chosen One could have had any girl at Hogwarts, including most of the Slytherins, if he'd wanted them. The fact that he hadn't really should have been a red flag, but Draco honestly hadn't paid that much attention to Harry's personal life.

Neither had Draco ever imagined that he might be attracted to Harry. Sure, the man was good-looking, but so were a lot of men. He'd never really thought about it until last night. And now he couldn't _stop_ thinking about it. Being in Harry's arms, their mouths locked, tongues battling… Draco couldn't explain it. It was like something had changed in him during those brief moments. It was like his soul had made room to accommodate the raven-haired man, and when Harry had pulled away – well, shoved him away – there was a big hole left over that he couldn't fill again in Harry's absence.

Draco knew a good bit about soul mates, of course, as his parents were soul mates, but he didn't think that's what this was. Despite the sudden, unprecedented attachment he seemed to have formed, it didn't feel the way his mother had described. Narcissa had said that her attachment to Lucius had been almost instinctive. From the first time she'd seem him, the first time she'd touched his hand, she'd known that she'd never be quite right without him again. Even when they were children, they'd been the very best of friends.

Clearly, that was not the case with Harry and Draco.

No, Draco didn't quite understand what had happened. Maybe it had just been _that _good of a kiss. Merlin, he wanted to do it again. Often. And maybe never stop.

He groaned internally as yet another glance toward the head of the table proved that Harry did not seem to have had the same reaction. Indeed, it may have been the opposite. Harry had looked at him only once this morning, when Draco had first walked into the room. Gorgeous green eyes had flashed red at the sight of him, and he'd not looked again.

The kiss had clearly been the result of the firewhiskey. The result of the kiss, for Harry, seemed to be renewed hostility for Draco. Just bloody, fucking fantastic.

When the elves had cleared away the breakfast dishes, Harry sat back in his chair and let his gaze drift around the table. It touched on Severus and then Narcissa, drifted right passed Draco, studied Remus briefly, then Ron, and finally settled on Hermione.

"Why are we here," Harry started quietly, his eyes scrutinizing – and thankfully, green.

The Gryffindors all leaned somewhat closer to Harry in anticipation of that particular answer.

"Voldemort's not dead. Not permanently," he added. "No more than he was after the first time he tried to kill me. The way I see it, it's still my job to make sure he's gone for good this time. But I'm done with the Order of the Phoenix. The Order belongs to Dumbledore, and I'm through belonging to anyone. This is my war. Mine and Voldemort's. _I _have to fight it."

"Harry," Lupin said cautiously. When Harry looked at him, he continued carefully. "Do you think it might be a little brash to cut ties with Albus?"

Harry stared at him without expression, but that brilliant red slowly bled out of his pupils to cover his green irises.

Everyone at the table seemed to hold their breath as they waited for Harry to respond.

"How old were you when he recruited you, Remus?" he inquired, his voice colder than usual.

"Seventeen," Lupin replied warily.

Harry nodded, "Seventeen." He looked around at them. "Did Dumbledore ever tell any of you that Tom wanted the Defense post at Hogwarts back in the fifties?"

By the looks around the table, it didn't seem that anyone had known that.

"He did. Albus," he said the man's given name almost defiantly, "believed that he wanted it so that he could recruit children to his cause. That's why he didn't give it to him. Makes me wonder if Tom gave him the idea or if Tom got the idea from Albus."

"Harry," Lupin protested, "we all joined willingly. He didn't manipulate us into anything-"

Harry's laughter stopped Lupin short. "_Really_?" he asked doubtfully when his laughing subsided. "He didn't manipulate you? He didn't favor you during school? He didn't let you and my parents get away with almost anything?" A brief, almost nonexistent glance toward Severus. "He didn't ignore pranks that nearly got people killed." He didn't look at Severus this time, but Draco was sure that he was talking about him when Severus tensed almost imperceptibly.

"All that he did from the moment he allowed a werewolf into Hogwarts, was manipulate you. Trust me on that, Remus. I've had a lot of time to think about this since Sirius died. He's been manipulating me since I was a year old – or even younger, for all I know. I wouldn't even put it passed him to have knowingly let my parents die just for the chance to slow Tom down."

"Harry!" Remus growled, looking really angry now.

Harry was on his feet in an instant, the heavy, elegant chair sent skittering across the floor behind him. "ALBUS DUMBLEDORE IS _NOT _A HERO, REMUS!" Harry shouted, his eyes glowing crimson, waves of barely restrained magic rolling off him so heavily that the whole room began to tremble and it was difficult to breathe.

Draco felt his own magic trying to rise to meet that enticing aura and he had everything he could do to keep it in check. Voldemort had been like this when he was angry. Like the very fabric of magic itself trembled beneath his wrath. Of course, Draco had never felt the need to fight an urge to kiss him when it happened.

"He is a hundred and fifteen years old!" Harry continued furiously, his magic vibrating beneath his every word. "He has more connections around the world than you or I can even imagine! He could have hidden me away on any continent in the world, and he sent me to live with _muggles_! I spent ten years living in a fucking cupboard, serving them like a godsdamned house elf, beaten by my cousin, scorned, hated, and belittled at every opportunity! If he didn't know how they treated me, then he _should _have!"

Draco flinched involuntarily at hearing him talk about his childhood like that. He was struck again by the sense that he should have – somehow – known about that. All those years spent convinced that Potter had grown up in a perfect home…

"And what about Sirius?!" Harry was continuing. "He was in Azkaban for twelve years, Remus! So long, he _barely_ kept his sanity! Do you really think that Dumbledore didn't know that he was innocent? Who the _fuck_ do you think cast the Fidelius Charm on my parents' house? He _knew _that Wormtail was the Secret Keeper, and he left Sirius to fucking rot!

"He has been manipulating all of us from the bloody start! As far as I am concerned, he's as much my enemy as Voldemort," he snarled furiously.

Silence descended again as Harry's magic gradually began to recede.

After a long moment staring down the Gryffindors with emphasis on Lupin, Harry extended his hand behind him and his chair tipped right again and slid back into place just as he lowered himself into it. He stared at the table for a time while no one spoke. The Gryffindors seemed to be considering all he'd said, and Draco found himself doing the same. He'd never actually thought about it before, as he'd never cared that much, but Harry really did have a point about the headmaster.

"You're right, Harry," Hermione was the first to speak.

Red eyes focused on her, but the girl didn't flinch. Draco was fairly impressed, not that he'd ever admit it.

"I can't believe we've been so blind," Hermione continued, "but you're completely right. Professor Dumbledore has been using us," she said as though trying to realign her entire worldview to accommodate this revelation. She then turned the other way to look at Ron and Lupin.

Weasley was pale and looked like he was thinking about bringing his breakfast back up. He stared at Hermione a moment, then looked at Harry and twitched his head in what was probably meant to be a nod. Bloody weasel couldn't even acquiesce with a scrap of dignity.

Lupin sighed heavily, his eyes fixed on the table. "I'm with you, Harry," he said quietly without looking up.

Harry's eyes fell closed and he sighed heavily. "Thank you, guys," he acknowledged, opening his eyes again to meet theirs. The red receded once more.

"But we're going to need a plan, Harry," Hermione pointed out. "Voldemort's only gone temporarily."

Once again, Draco found himself annoyingly impressed with the girl at having said the name without any apparent difficulty. At this rate, he was going to end up friends with Hermione Granger too.

"Though it seems that you eliminated most of the inner circle, there's still a lot of Death Eaters out there, and a lot of others who were probably loyal to him. And now, you're pitting yourself against Professor Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix." She glanced around the table. "And there are only seven of us."

Harry nodded. "Okay, first thing I'm going to need," he looked at Narcissa. "A list of every Death Eater and loyalist that you know about and their families. Be sure to include the ones that I killed too. I want to know who may be holding a grudge against me for that, particularly if I'm going back to Hogwarts in the fall. Any insight you have on how they're likely to react to this situation would be helpful as well."

"Of course, my lord," she bowed her head just as she would for Voldemort.

Harry frowned at her for a moment, then leaned back in his chair and looked around again. "Okay, let's get rid of his whole 'lord' thing for now," he suggested.

Narcissa looked startled by that. The Gryffindors looked relieved. Severus, of course, had no visible reaction. Draco wasn't all that surprised after last night – which he was not going to think about right now.

"I'd like all of you to call me Harry," he continued. "Maybe it'll save what's left of my sanity," he added quietly before lifting his eyes again. "Does that sound good to everyone?"

Obviously, there were no objections.

"Okay," he sighed briskly. "Next order of business. We need to make Voldemort's death public, but I'm not going to have Albus taking credit for this. Any suggestions?"

"Press conference," Draco offered, his voice coming out a little quieter than he'd intended as he spoke for the first time that morning.

Every eye turned toward him, but Harry's were the only ones he cared about at the moment. They weren't turning red, which Draco took as encouragement to continue.

"Announce it to the ministry and the media at the same time," he explained. "Call for a couple of aurors to be here at the same time as the press, present Voldemort's body, and make a speech. You'll be on the front page of the Prophet tomorrow, and all of wizarding Britain will be talking about you."

Harry grimaced faintly, but nodded. "A speech," he frowned.

"We can help you write it," Narcissa offered.

"That might work," Harry admitted, mostly to himself.

"I can send an owl to the Daily Prophet, if you wish," Narcissa put in helpfully, clearly trying to make herself useful.

Harry nodded again. "Yeah. Make sure Rita Skeeter comes. And a few minutes early," he glanced at Hermione meaningfully, and she nodded.

"As you wish," Narcissa said with a bow of her head.

"And try to make sure the aurors we invite aren't loyal to the Order or Voldemort," Harry added thoughtfully. "If there are any aurors left that are actually loyal to the Ministry. Severus, you know who at the Ministry is loyal to Albus, right?"

"I believe so," Severus nodded.

"If I may also suggest, Harry," Draco's mum said carefully, "You may wish to consider commissioning a new wardrobe tailored specifically to the image you wish to portray?"

"I've thought of that," Harry admitted, turning his eyes to Draco again. "Draco can help me design it."

"Me?" he nearly gaped, nonplussed by the suggestion.

"You have excellent taste, Malfoy," Harry said with a tiny smirk.

"I'm not your bloody fashion consultant, Potter!" Draco sputtered, only realizing that he'd again forgotten himself when his mother tensed next to him. Merlin, was he _ever _going to stop doing that?

Harry just smiled in return though. "Well, I hadn't really thought about an official title for you, but now you mention it…"

Draco felt himself pale. "Merlin, no! I'd never live that down."

The other man laughed genuinely. "Relax, Draco. I promise that it won't leave this room." He then glanced around at the others gathered, who all nodded quickly. All except for Weasley.

"Since when are you friends with the ferret?" he demanded, disgust plain on his face.

And justlikethat Harry's eyes were red again as he turned them on his friend. All mirth gone, he let his gaze trail around the table. "We're going to have to learn to get along," he said gravely. "So from now on, no more name calling." He gestured around the table slowly as he spoke, "Severus, Narcissa, Draco, Remus, Ron, Hermione, Harry. I know that we weren't all friends yesterday. I don't expect us to become friends today. But we're all on the same side now. Let's act like it."

Then, before anyone could respond, he moved on. "Hermione, we need to get Lucius out of Azkaban."

Silence, apart from Narcissa's small gasp. Draco couldn't have spoken had he wanted to.

"What?" Hermione asked after blinking owlishly. "Harry, he's in Azkaban because he tried to kill you."

"Do you expect that I've forgotten that?" Harry laughed.

"Well… no," she admitted awkwardly. "But why would you want him out?"

"As Draco and you have both pointed out, Hermione, withdrawing my allegiance from Dumbledore is going to be dangerous. If we're going to stand a chance of openly opposing him, we'll need someone with the social and political connections that Lucius has. The only way we'll get that is by not only getting Lucius out of Azkaban, but getting him exonerated."

Narcissa's hand found Draco's under the table and squeezed hard. Her eyes were shining with tears that she wouldn't let fall. And Draco realized that, if Harry really got his father exonerated, he'd have earned fanatical loyalty from his mum. And gratitude from Draco as well. He and his father had their differences, but the man was still his father. Besides, getting Lucius exonerated would clear the whole family name, not just the man.

"An admirable goal, Harry," Severus said carefully, "but it won't be easy. He was in the Department of Mysteries with a dozen other Death Eaters when Voldemort exposed himself."

"So was I," Harry pointed out. He looked at Hermione again. "We'll need to see if we can get Neville and Luna on our side. The five of us are the only ones apart from the Death Eaters who know what really happened down there."

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she nodded. "That's true. If we all corroborate, who's to say that Lucius wasn't secretly trying to protect us the whole time?" She shook her head slightly, "But Harry, are you sure you want to do this? If Lucius gets out; if he comes back here…"

"He'll take the Vow, just like everyone else," Harry interrupted. He then looked at Narcissa, "Can we trust him?"

Narcissa, to her credit, paused before answering to actually give it a moment's thought. "He will stand by Draco and me, and therefore you."

Harry smiled and looked at Hermione again, "You see?"

She hesitated only a moment before nodding thoughtfully. "We'll have to explain why none of us came forward with this information to exonerate Lucius sooner…"

"If you exposed his true allegiance while Voldemort was alive, it would have put his family in grave danger," Severus offered.

Hermione looked at him and smiled, "Good point, Professor."

"Severus," Harry corrected.

Hermione frowned at him.

"We're on a first name basis here," Harry reminded her.

Granger didn't look particularly comfortable with the idea, but she reluctantly nodded.

"Good," Harry said briskly. "You and Severus can work on getting Lucius back home, before school starts again, if at all possible. Now, Remus. You've been working on getting the werewolves to join Albus."

There werewolf's eyes widened, "How do you know that?"

Harry looked amused, "Really, Remus? What would you and Sirius and my dad have done if you'd been in a situation like mine at Grimmauld?"

The werewolf grimaced. "Spied shamelessly."

Harry flashed him a cheeky grin. "Do you think you can get the wolves to join me instead?"

Lupin – Remus, Draco corrected himself – gave it a long moment of thought. Finally, he nodded, "It's possible. Albus was promising to try to push new werewolf rights through the Wizengamot, though. They won't be eager to turn their backs on that."

Harry studied the table in front of his folded hands thoughtfully. "Hermione," he finally said.

She pounced on it like a particularly difficult question in class. "I started researching it in third year. I've already drawn up a preliminary proposal. With backing from the Malfoy family, I think we'd have at least as good a shot as Professor Dumbledore."

A small smile touched Harry's lips before he looked at Remus again. "Tell them that we can offer the same, and probably with even greater odds of success as we have Hermione on the case."

Hermione's answering smile was a touch embarrassed, but quite pleased.

"Ron," Harry went on, causing the… Ron to start like he'd been poked. "You're probably not going to like this, but I need you to do some reading for me."

The redhead blinked stupidly, and Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Reading?"

Harry nodded. "You're better at wizard's chess than probably anyone at Hogwarts."

Draco scowled indignantly. He wasn't too bad himself, thank you very much.

"You want me to help you by playing chess?"

"It worked in first year, didn't it?" Harry smirked.

Draco frowned, glancing between the two of them. He remembered Ron being awarded points in first year for a well-played game of chess, but no one really knew why.

"You're expecting to run into another giant chess board?" Ron wondered.

Harry chuckled, "Not exactly. They say that people who are good at wizard's chess are also excellent strategists. Honestly, I could use that. So I want you to read up a bit about the last couple wizarding wars, and see if you can't apply that strategic mind to helping me figure out this war."

Ron nodded, looking both bewildered and doubtful. That was promising…

"Draco," Harry said, startling him out of his thoughts. "Take Ron to the library and find him the most detailed books you have about the last two wizarding wars."

Draco nodded.

Harry sighed. "Now, people. You've all go things to do. Oh, and Remus."

Everyone paused in the act of getting up. "Do you think you could get Luna and Neville, and bring them here?"

Remus hesitated.

"What?" Harry frowned irritably.

"What if they say no?" the werewolf asked cautiously.

For a moment, Harry didn't seem to understand. Then his jaw clenched and his eyes were red again. "For Godric's sake, Remus, they'll be free to leave if they want to!"

Remus nodded, his face twisting in the semblance of chagrin though his eyes were relieved.

Harry seemed to notice that too because he turned and stalked out of the room before anyone else could leave.

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**All right! Chapter 5! Merlin, this is fun to write! I hope you lovely folks are having as much fun reading it. Reviews truly brighten my sunless existence here in the land of terminal clouds. (Seriously, it's been cloudy for like two weeks, PLEASE review!)**

**BTW, those of you waiting on _When A Phoenix Cries_, Chapter 16 is moving forward once again. It shouldn't be too much longer now!**


	6. You've Forgotten to Introduce Me

**Author's Note:** Ah, I'm back! Sorry for the long absence. I've had a lovely holiday, but I've missed all of you terribly. So, not sure on how regular my updates will be this month as I'm getting my daughter ready for the second grade among other tedious duties of Real Life, but I'll do my best. I can tell you that chapter 7 is already written and will most likely be posted tomorrow, so you should get at least one prompt update after this. Also, I don't expect I'll be making you wait three months again anytime soon. So yeah, enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, characters, universe, etc. I make no money from this.

**Acknowledgements:** Huge thanks go out to my beta, **bluefirefly5**, for her prompt, intelligent, amusing, and inspirational assistance with this chapter. Her questions make the story much more coherent. Thanks so much!

* * *

**"You've Forgotten to Introduce Me, Narcissa" **

x_x…S_S...x_x

19 July 1996

Severus cast a concerned look at Remus before quickly following Harry out of the breakfast room. "Harry, could I have a word?" he asked cautiously, as Harry was clearly in a bad mood.

The young man stopped abruptly at the sound of his voice, and Severus saw his shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath. He could only hope it was a calming breath. "What is it, Severus?" he asked calmly enough, though he didn't turn around.

"You've taken a Vow from myself, Draco, and Narcissa. Have you considered asking for Vows from your friends?"

He waited for Harry's answer, his anxiety expertly contained behind shields honed through many years as a spy.

Harry was silent for a long time while the others filtered into the corridor, pausing behind Severus with unease that he could hear in their accelerated breathing and shifting feet. They'd have heard his question if they were listening at all – which was by no means certain.

"That's true," Harry said finally. "Everyone should be on the same footing."

"Wait, what Vow, now?" Weasley asked nervously. Pathetic excuse for a Gryffindor…

Harry finally turned around and there was a collective shallowing of breathing when his still red eyes were visible.

Granger's sigh was plainly irritated, "Honestly, Ron! The Unbreakable Vow to do no harm to Harry or his plans. Were you even listening last night?"

"Of course, I was," Weasley came back indignantly. "I was just hoping that I was remembering wrong."

"This is not a big deal," Granger asserted, though the tension in her shoulders and slight anxiety in her eyes suggested that she knew perfectly well that it was. "It's not like any of us were going to betray Harry anyway."

The werewolf shifted very slightly, but enough that Severus was sure he'd considered it at least briefly.

"And since the others have already taken it," Granger went on, evidently not noticing the guilty shift, "it seems only fair that we do as well."

Weasley looked a little embarrassed as he nodded, "Yeah, okay."

Granger looked slightly relieved though she did a credible job of concealing it as she glanced very slightly at Harry, who had no visible reaction to the conversation taking place right in front of him. "Remus?" she prompted.

Lupin was silent for a long moment before he reluctantly nodded, not meeting anyone's eyes. "If you're sure, Harry."

In answer, Harry looked at Severus, who immediately drew his wand to cast the spell.

While Draco and Narcissa looked on with clear surprise, Granger stepped up first, her chin held high with Gryffindor courage shining defiantly in her eyes. Her hand was steady as she reached out to take Harry's and she listened to the way he spoke the Vow as though assessing every single syllable to identify exactly how restrictive it would be. Whatever her thoughts about it, she took the Vow.

Weasley went next, paler than normal, but he too took the Vow.

Lupin hesitated like he was walking to his own execution, and he gritted his teeth through the whole thing, but he did it. After which Severus felt that he could breathe a bit easier. While the Vow was not greatly restrictive, taking no willful action against Harry's _plans _would prevent the last surviving Marauder from running to tell tales to Albus, whom Harry had very clearly named an enemy. It would have to suffice.

Harry nodded when that was done. "All right. You have all jobs to do." And with that he turned and headed toward his rooms, which were the second-nicest guest suite. Harry hadn't wanted Voldemort's room.

* * *

**x_x…D_M...x_x**

"Ron," Draco said, trying not to sneer the name.

The weasel actually flinched at his own name, which forced Draco to make the effort to not roll his eyes. It was painfully obvious that they didn't like each other, but Draco wasn't going to be the one to risk Harry's anger by encouraging any animosity.

"I believe we've been ordered to the library," he explained with forced patience that he was sure couldn't last long.

"Right…" Weasley frowned warily, looking at Hermione almost pleadingly.

She immediately turned to Draco, "Are there any books on Ministry Law in the library?"

"Obviously," Draco replied, fairly neutrally.

He watched her eyes narrow as she seemed to put as much effort into being polite as he was. "Thank you," she said stiffly. "Would you mind showing me where to find them?"

"Of course not," he said with a completely fake smile, which she returned with equal effort.

"I'm going to confer with Narcissa about the Auror Department," Severus said with amusement in his eyes. "Hermione, I will meet you in the library when I am finished."

Granger nodded stiffly, clearly uneasy about the first name thing with her teacher.

Severus glanced between the three of them and a small smirk touched his lips. "Do try not to choke on the pleasantries," he said smoothly before leading Narcissa in the direction of her study.

Draco chuckled after the man, and was surprised to find a similar amusement in Hermione's eyes. For a moment, they shared a smile. It really was a bit ridiculous to put such effort into disliking each other at this point. Weasel was looking between them with something like disgust on his face. "Relax, Ron," Draco sighed. "I'm not hitting on your girlfriend."

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Hermione said instantly, her face pinking humorously.

"Really?" Draco asked, honestly a bit surprised.

She nodded fervently while the weasel just frowned at them both.

"Good thing, I suppose," Draco noted. "You'd have killed him inside a year."

Hermione's visible effort to avoid smirking caused Draco to do that very thing.

"I'm glad to hear you're not hitting on me though," she said immediately.

"Really?" he asked again, a bit annoyed even though he wanted nothing to do with her affections. Most girls would be at least a little put out to know that he was in no way interested. He started to lead the Gryffindors toward the library while he waited for her response.

"Really, Malfoy. You're not as pretty as you think you are," she said, though Draco got the sense that it wasn't what she'd originally meant.

"Of course I am," he replied anyway. "Just because I don't want you is no reason to ignore the obvious, _Hermione_," he put emphasis on her name since she'd neglected to use his.

"Well, as long as we're not ignoring the obvious, _Draco_, I wouldn't bother wasting my time on someone who is so obviously bent," she quipped.

He stopped so abruptly that he almost fell over. "What did you just say?" he demanded as indignantly as possible to prove that she was completely wrong.

"You were practically undressing Harry with your eyes at breakfast," she smirked.

Weasley made a noise somewhere between a groan and a gag.

"I was not!" he snapped, aware of the general lameness of that as a comeback. "I was just watching him to make sure he wasn't going to lose his temper and kill us all."

"Please," she said doubtfully.

He swallowed hard as his dodge brought back a very uncomfortable memory. "You didn't see him," he said grimly. "When he killed Voldemort. When he killed them all." It had been the most terrifying moment of his life. There was just a fraction of a second after that curse when he really believed he was going to die. Then, when he saw that everyone else was dead, there was the realization of how easily it could have been him as well…

"Was it really bad?" she asked quietly as they started walking again, more slowly.

"Yes," he said harshly, brushing passed her into the library. "The law books are over there," he pointed when she entered behind him. He then accio'd a few of the best books about Grindelwald and the first war against Voldemort, piling them on the table. "Start with these," he instructed Weasley, then left the library as quickly as he could.

Why did Granger have to be so fucking perceptive? Most Gryffindors were bloody blind until you shoved something right into their face. The only one who knew he was gay was Blaise. And only because they'd figured that out together – several times – last year. It had never been anything more than sex between them. They were friends, but Draco knew they'd kill each other in a month if they tried actually dating.

Not that it had ever really been something they'd considered. Their parents expected grandchildren and a traditional family. Narcissa would go completely mental if she found out. And Lucius… Fuck, he'd bloody _murder _him.

Draco knew that he'd be married off to Astoria or some other suitable pureblood woman as soon as he graduated. He'd been dealing with that just fine until Harry Bloody Potter had kissed him. A stupid kiss that he couldn't stop thinking about. The feel of those lips against his, the taste of his tongue, even brined in firewhiskey, had been startlingly fantastic. The hard body pressed against his, urgent hands trapping and possessing him. The absolutely maddening pressure of Harry's erection digging into his hip…

Merlin. He was so fucked.

* * *

**x_x…H_P...x_x**

Harry lay on the grass in the little garden outside his sitting room, trying hard to think about the war, his situation, and what he needed to do from here. He knew that he needed to keep thinking. Things had gone pretty smoothly so far. All things considered. But this was only the beginning. It was going to get more complicated when he involved the press. The Ministry.

The Order had to be looking for him now. And Hermione, Ron, and Remus. They'd all just vanished out of Grimmauld Place without a word. Did they think they'd been taken prisoner? What was Dumbledore plotting to take out Voldemort this time?

He chuckled to himself. At least he was one step ahead of the old coot on that.

Without his permission, his thoughts returned to Draco. Though he didn't want to admit it, he knew that his infatuation had begun at Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley almost five years ago. The pretty blonde boy. So refined. So confident. And he'd talked to him. Like he was just another kid. It hadn't lasted long, but it had meant more to him than he could say.

And then, on the train… He'd wanted so badly to take Draco's offer of friendship, but he'd insulted Ron so arrogantly. The warm feelings of their first meeting had been suffocated beneath the wonderful impersonation of Dudley that he'd been doing. Well, if Dudley had been gorgeous and refined, that's what he would have sounded like.

How much different would his life have been had he chosen Draco that day? He knew without a doubt that he'd have been a Slytherin. The Hat had wanted to put him there. The only reason he'd refused was because of Draco. But if he'd taken the offer of friendship, he'd have been happy to go into Slytherin. Eager, even.

Harry shook those thoughts with an effort. There was no point in dwelling on what might have been. He had to focus on what was happening now. He had to stay ahead of the problems that were certain to be cropping up. He had to find a way to mitigate them before they happened if he could. At least he had a strong team on his side, with a varied set of skills that would be very useful. He hoped they could get Lucius home soon. His connections would be as useful as Severus' subterfuge, Hermione's brains, and Draco's class combined. Whether or not Ron proved to be really useful wasn't yet certain, but Harry was hopeful. Honestly, he could _not _be that good at chess and be unable to apply that same brilliance to things that actually mattered. Narcissa would be useful for her experience with pureblood etiquette and general understanding of the wizarding world and its politics – all things that Harry was sadly ignorant of. Remus had the connection to the werewolves and his brilliance with Defense would come in handy too.

Harry was drawn from his thoughts about an hour later when a house elf popped into the courtyard to inform him that Remus had returned with Neville and Luna.

"Excellent," Harry smiled as he got up and dusted himself off. "Thank you, ern… What's your name?"

"I is being Gabby, Master Lord, sir."

Harry smirked a little at the "master lord" title. "Thank you, Gabby. Would you serve tea for four in the drawing room, please?"

"Of course, Master Lord, sir," Gabby beamed and vanished with a pop.

Harry shook his head after her and started toward the drawing room. When he arrived, he found his friends in a hushed conversation with Remus. They both looked a little pale.

Harry frowned at the sight, wondering what Remus had been telling them.

Luna noticed him first and smiled in her dreamy way. "Hello, Harry."

"Hello, Luna," he couldn't help but smile back. It was refreshing to have someone acting normal around him for a change.

Gabby popped in and served the tea while they all settled in at the table, and Harry went through the process of explaining the last twenty-four hours to the best of his ability. By the time he was done, Neville looked stuck between terror and awe. Luna just looked pleased.

"Of course we'll help you, Harry," she said immediately.

"Harry, you really want us to help you get Lucius Malfoy out of Azkaban?" Neville asked warily.

Harry nodded, "I'm going to need his help. And I'm already working with Narcissa and Draco," he shrugged.

Neville stared at him a moment, glanced at Luna, then sighed, "If you're sure, Harry. I'm with you."

Harry smiled at them, "Thanks, guys. Gabby!"

The little elf popped in and bowed.

"Can you fetch Severus and Hermione for me, please?"

She bowed again and vanished.

While they waited, Harry asked his friends about how their summer had been so far. Luna eagerly began telling him about an interview her father had gotten with some guy who evidently bred wrackspurts for the Ministry to use on witnesses at trials they wanted to influence. Harry found it thoroughly entertaining, and made a mental note to get a subscription to the Quibbler delivered to the manor.

When Severus and Hermione arrived, Harry had Severus cast the spell for his friends to take the vow. Luna did so with such excitement that Harry couldn't help but think she was just thrilled to be included. It made him a little sad, and he made another mental note. This one to include Luna as much as possible. She had a connection to a wizarding paper, even if it wasn't taken really seriously, it had seemed to have an impact when he'd given his interview in fourth year. Maybe he could make the Quibbler his official press representative. He'd have to talk to Narcissa about it later. Neville just looked grimly determined when he took his vow.

When they were done, Harry sent them off with Hermione and Severus to talk about the case for Lucius.

Once that was taken care of, with everyone else still busy with their tasks, Harry focused the rest of his day on reading a book on wandless magic that he'd found in the library. He wasn't sure why or how, but he hadn't used his wand once since killing Voldemort. He was curious to see if he could figure it out, but that wasn't vitally important at the moment, so he didn't try to ask Hermione to help. She had more important things to focus on.

* * *

**x_x…H_P...x_x**

20 July 1996

Harry entered the drawing room and immediately froze upon taking in the occupation. Severus was standing nearest the door, but Harry paid him no mind as he took in the fact that _Ginny _was sitting next to Hermione at the far end of the table. The girls had their heads bent together, Hermione holding Ginny's hands. They were clearly whispering about something.

All eyes turned to him as he entered and everyone froze.

"What is she doing here?" Harry asked in complete surprise.

Hermione opened her mouth, then snapped it closed again, her eyes flashing to Severus.

Harry too turned his eyes that way, though he was beginning to sense that there was more to this than Ginny somehow wandering into Malfoy Manor – likely as that had ever been. "Well?" he demanded of the potions master.

"You did not mention Miss Weasley when you asked Remus to summon your other friends, Harry," Severus said stiffly, somehow making "Harry" sound an awful lot like "my lord". "Hermione and I believed that it would be best if she was here as well, considering that she was at the Ministry. Her testimony will be important to our completing the task you assigned us."

Harry stared at the man as he comprehended that. "You and Hermione believed…" he muttered tonelessly, anger bubbling up in his belly until he was certain that his eyes were red again. They seemed to do that every time he got mad. He could always tell by the way everyone stopped breathing when it happened. Well, everyone but Severus. He was far too composed for such an obvious thing, but he did tense just a bit. "You decided, is what you did," he continued, mostly to himself. "You went and got her, even though you knew that I hadn't just forgotten about her when I didn't mention her."

"Harry, she _will _be important to the case!" Hermione pleaded, though she was pale as a sheet.

Harry was really starting to get annoyed with his friends looking at him like he might just decide to Avada them as well. "I can see that, Hermione!" he snapped, turning his glare on her. "I'm not an idiot, however much you like to treat me like one!"

Her jaw dropped, and she paled even further. If that was possible.

"Harry," Severus interrupted, again pronouncing it in just _that _way. "It was not prudent to leave her behind. Here, she is an asset to you. Among the Order, she could easily prove a liability," he pointed out reasonably. "Albus could have convinced her to testify opposing the rest of you-"

"So you dragged her away from her family without my permission!" Harry shouted furiously, his magic rising with his desire to hex _both _the annoying know-it-alls.

"Harry, if he'd told me what was going on, I'd have volunteered-" Ginny said indignantly, standing abruptly despite the fact that Hermione didn't release her hands.

"SIT DOWN!" Harry shouted at her.

She all but fell back into her seat, going pale enough that she was surely in danger of fainting.

Harry shook his head at her, "What's wrong with you? This isn't your fight."

She didn't answer. No one said anything at all.

"Harry?" a tentative voice came from the door.

Harry looked over his shoulder to regard Draco.

The blonde swallowed hard. "There's a problem," he almost whispered.

Harry sighed, turning to face Draco. "Are you going to tell me what it is?" he asked with a faint smile.

"The wards," he said quietly. "There's someone here."

Harry's eyes narrowed, his whole body going rigid at the implications even as his magic abruptly stopped flaring and instead burned down to a white hot sizzle of readiness. "Who?" he inquired, vaguely noting that his voice had gone completely cold again – like after he'd killed Tom.

"Lesser Death Eaters," Draco supplied. "They're outside, waiting to be granted entrance. I don't think they know Voldemort is… dead."

Harry nodded thoughtfully while his magic sizzled just a bit higher. "Well then," a smile tugged at his lips. "Let's go and educate them." He glanced at the others in the room, "Come on then," he urged before leading the way toward the entrance hall.

Narcissa was waiting by the doors when they arrived, looking incredibly nervous. "How many?" he asked her as he approached.

"Six," she said with quiet composure that in no way matched the anxiety practically dripping from her.

Harry waited a moment, but when she didn't move, he gestured toward the doors. "Let's go out and talk with them then. You can introduce me," he grinned.

She cleared her throat delicately. "What should I call you?" she asked carefully.

"Ah," Harry nodded, seeing her problem. He glanced around at the others. Even Ginny had followed him apparently. Oh well, let her see what she was getting herself into. "Why don't you all use 'my lord' when we're in… mixed company," he decided. Somehow, "Harry" just didn't have the same impact.

She bowed her head regally, then turned toward the doors.

"Severus, Draco," Harry gestured them to join Narcissa, which they did without word while the girls stayed behind him.

The doors were pulled open and Harry blinked briefly against the light. The Slytherins stepped out to address the interlopers while Harry paused to lean against the door frame. Really, he wondered how long he could keep it secret that Voldemort was dead. How many Death Eaters would walk right into his grasp? Really, it was just too easy. Saved him a lot of trouble hunting them down.

He kept his head down as though looking idly at his own boots while the confrontation began. He didn't want to be recognized too soon. There'd be little fun in that.

"Ah, Severus," one of the gathering greeted. "Is the Great Lord still in residence? It seems the wards have changed a bit since we left."

"Our lord is most certainly in residence," Severus drawled in response, and Harry smirked. _Very Slytherin twist of words_, _Severus_, he silently congratulated. "You may tell me what you've learned," he continued in the same tone.

"If that is the Great Lord's wish," the same man continued, "but I won't discuss it in front of these…" audible sneer of disgust, "disgraces to pure blood."

Harry saw Draco stiffen from the corner of his eye. "The Malfoy family is infinitely above your foul blood!" Draco snarled. Harry didn't think that this is the first time Draco had endured such jibes. "Tainted by filthy trolls, what? Three generations back? Two? You even smell of them!" Harry had rarely heard the Slytherin speak with quite that much true hatred. He usually seemed to reserve that for Harry himself – or he used to. Not anymore, Harry supposed. At least not to his face.

"Do you think the Great Lord cares anything for your pitiful family!" the Death Eater snarled.

Harry felt more than saw the man drawing his wand. On Draco. His tightly wound magic lashed out with sudden ferocity.

There was a brief flash of green light, and the all too familiar sound of a body falling gracelessly to the flagstones.

Silence followed, and then more wands were being drawn. But none from those on Harry's side, he realized curiously. Not one of them had moved to defend themselves.

Harry pushed himself off the wall with his shoulders and stepped briskly between Draco and Narcissa so that he was two long strides away from his "visitors", the ring leader's body even less than that.

The Death Eaters froze upon seeing him.

"You've forgotten to introduce me, Narcissa," he smirked without looking away from the shocked gazes in front of him.

"You are in the presence of Lord Harry Potter," she somehow managed to intone with utter regality. "Bow before your better and beg for mercy, though you may not find any."

Harry's smirk grew a little at her improvisation. He was starting to like her. It was easy to see where Draco got his "charm".

Five mouths dropped as they stared at him.

"What, exactly, have you come to report to your lord?" Harry inquired.

"Where's the Great Lord?" one of the group whispered, his eyes round with fear.

"Quite dead," Harry lied through his smile. "Do any of you really think I'd be standing here if he was still in charge?"

It seemed that they didn't, as wands began to drip from trembling fingers.

Not a one of them had been a Gryffindor, Harry was willing to bet. Harry chuckled at that thought and glanced at Draco next to him. "Do _all _Slytherins surrender this quickly?" he inquired.

"We're ambitious, Harry," Draco shrugged with evident ease, though Harry thought he was anything but at ease. He was just a good liar. "It's rather difficult to accomplish anything if you're dead," he went on.

Harry nodded thoughtfully. Though he knew that no Gryffindor would have surrendered that easily even facing Voldemort, he did recognize that most of them would probably die very soon after. Maybe Slytherins did occasionally have a point.

"What were you reporting to Voldemort?" Harry inquired of his… prisoners, he supposed.

He was met with silence.

"SPEAK!" he roared, his voice somehow much louder than it should have been. He supposed he'd accidentally used a sonorous.

One of the lot started so badly he actually fell down. Or maybe his knees had just given out.

"W-we were reporting that we'd f-fin-ished off the family of that mudblood, Terick family," one of them stuttered out.

There was a flash of green, and all five of them dropped dead before Harry even realized he'd decided to kill them. They'd murdered a muggleborn's entire family. They'd deserved much worse.

Silence again.

Harry turned to address Narcissa, whose countenance was fairing only slightly better than Draco. She looked much better than Hermione or Ginny, but then she'd seen him do that before. "It seems you have another mess to deal with," he informed the mistress of the manor before striding passed her back toward the house. "Severus!" he called without turning around. "Let's continue our discussion."

* * *

_Ah, Evil cliffie, I know. So sorry. Rest assured, the next chapter is already finished and should be up tomorrow (barring unforeseen catastrophes). If you've enjoyed, please do review. They make me smile and inspire me to write more, so it's good for everyone. :D_


	7. What More Can I Say?

**Author's Note: **Chapter 7, as promised. Chapter 8 is finished and with my beta now, so I will hopefully be able to post that tomorrow. If not, the day after. Anyway, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, characters, universe, etc. I make no money from this.

**Acknowledgement:** Another big thank you to bluefirefly5, who's brilliant beta skills nurture my muse. I would not be getting these chapters done so fast without her inspirational comments and invaluable questions.

* * *

**"What More Can I Say?" **

x_x…S_S...x_x

20 July 1996

Severus internally groaned when Harry said that he wanted them to continue their discussion about Ginny _right now_. Merlin, he really hoped that Harry had gotten all of his homicidal urges out of his system with those idiots Narcissa was "cleaning up".

He met Hermione's eyes as he entered the manor and he thought she and Miss Weasley could use a few minutes at least to collect themselves. Unfortunately, they weren't going to get it. This was not the time to risk angering Harry more by asking for a recess. He tipped his head in the direction of Harry's back and watched the Gryffindor take a deep breath and rally. She wrapped her arm around Ginny and started guiding her in the right direction.

Severus felt his lips twitch slightly. The girl was rather impressive. For a Gryffindor, of course.

When they entered the drawing room, Harry was already lounged across the throne-like chair at the head of the table. Severus took the seat to Harry's right. Hermione sat down next to him and guided Ginny into the chair at her other side, leaving one side of the table conspicuously vacant as they rather obviously avoided getting closer to Harry.

"Do join us, Draco," Harry bade. "We were just discussing Severus and Hermione's decision to bring Ginny here."

The boy had followed them, but Severus hadn't actually expected him to join the discussion. At the moment, he'd rather Draco wasn't in the same room as Harry, but there was nothing to be done about it now. He watched as the young man hesitated the barest moment before striding in with exaggerated calm to claim the seat on Harry's left side. If Harry thought anything of his chosen seat, he gave no indication.

Bright green eyes focused on the girls, neither of which was looking at Harry as they clung to each other. Or, more aptly, Ginny clung to Hermione.

"Well, Ginny," Harry said after studying them for a moment with a speculative eye. "You've seen what you've asked to join now. I have no intention of leaving my enemies alive behind me so that they can curse me in the back. Do you understand now why I didn't want you involved?"

Severus found it somewhat boggling that Harry could be simultaneously so cold and so protective of the girl. He obviously didn't want her involved for her own safety, though he had no similar compunctions about the rest of them. At least, not that Severus had noticed. Perhaps he fancied her. He did seem to recall the youngest Weasley being firmly in the Potter Fan Club, though he didn't think she'd ever truly been a member of their little group – at least not before the Ministry disaster. It would be something to keep his eye on if Harry allowed her to remain.

The redhead was still rather pale when she lifted her face to Harry at last, but her brown eyes were lit with fire. "This isn't just your fight, Harry. I have as much right to be here as anyone. That sick psycho _possessed _me, in case you forgot!"

Severus almost sighed. This just went to prove that Gryffindors had more courage than sense. She was actually _antagonizing _Harry.

"Voldemort has hurt a lot of people, Ginny," Harry growled in return, his eyes beginning to edge toward red again. "Do you expect me to welcome all of them? Where should I draw the line? Little old ladies? Toddlers?"

"I'm not a child!" she screeched.

"Don't you understand that I'm trying to protect you?!" Harry demanded, clearly incensed.

"Well, _stop _trying to protect me! How did you feel when people cut you out for your own protection?"

Idiotic girl made a good point, but there were so many safer ways she could have done so. Severus really hoped that there would not be many more Gryffindors joining their little following. People were going to die if she kept antagonizing him like that.

Harry was clearly angry, but he didn't immediately respond with words or violence. Severus chose to take that as a good sign despite the fact that the air was becoming thick with his magic.

Burning red eyes seared Weasley for a long moment before he turned his gaze to Severus, who met it without flinching and kept his opinions thoroughly marshaled. Harry looked at Hermione next. His eyes narrowed slightly on her as she had an arm wrapped around Ginny protectively and was watching Harry as though expecting him to hurt the other girl. Then Harry looked at Draco, who looked only thoughtful.

"What do you think, Draco?" Harry asked curiously, the anger in his voice more controlled.

Draco started slightly when he was addressed, and turned wary silver eyes to Harry. After a moment, he cleared his throat quietly. "I think…" he grimaced faintly as though he was worried that he was about to anger Harry with whatever he had to say. "Well, she might have a point," he admitted.

Harry huffed, clearly unimpressed. "Really, Draco?" he drawled, no longer sounding angry at all, but perhaps amused. So he'd had another swift mood swing. The rapidity with which he could go from furious to amused was unnerving, but Severus much preferred this variety to the opposite. He just hoped Draco didn't say the wrong thing now. "Could that have been any less decisive?" Harry inquired.

Draco bristled, and Severus internally cringed. _Merlin save me from temperamental teenagers… Temperamental teenage dark lords, in particular._

"What, exactly, would you like me to say, Harry?" Draco said calmly enough, but with a glare that completely ruined his attempt at composure. "You should have included her in the beginning. If you send her away and it costs my father the chance to get out of Azkaban, I will never forgive you. Is that _decisive _enough?"

Harry stared at him for a long moment and Severus despaired the fact that he couldn't see his face to read his reaction. Finally, he sat up and leaned back in his chair, sitting properly for once, and turned his attention to the girls. He looked calm now, and his eyes were green again, but he also looked very grim. "Ginny, if you still want to stay after that display outside, fine. But you will do so on the same ground as everyone else. You will swear an Unbreakable Vow to me, and you'll do as you're told or I'll obliviate you of anything that could be used against me, and I'll send you home. Agreed?"

"Agreed," she said without hesitation.

Harry glanced at Severus, and he promptly drew his wand, casting the spell while the young Weasley gave her vow. Harry stood as soon as it was done. "Gabby!"

"Yes, Master Lord, sir!" the elf chirped as she appeared next to him.

"Prepare a room in the guest wing for Miss Weasley."

The elf bowed and popped away.

"Ginny, you go with Hermione and Severus for now and help them however you can. Draco, a word." With that, he strode purposely from the room. Draco hopped up and followed him quickly.

Severus breathed a little easier once they were gone.

"Well, that could have gone better," Hermione sighed wearily.

Severus quirked an eyebrow at her understatement.

She smiled a little sheepishly and shrugged.

"What happened to him?" Ginny asked in a very small voice.

"I don't know," Hermione answered sadly. "Severus said that Voldemort hit him with the Killing Curse again. Maybe… Maybe it damaged him in some way we can't see. Or maybe it all just got to be too much for him. I don't know. I just hope that he gets better."

"_Severus_?" the girl parroted with a wary glance at him.

"Harry's rule," Hermione explained. "We're all on a first name basis. Do _not _forget that around him."

Ginny studied the older girl for a moment, then nodded.

"You should both prepare yourselves for the fact that Harry may never be as he was again," Severus felt compelled to point out – for all of their safety, lest they annoy Harry with their attempts to treat him as though nothing had changed. "Even if he overcomes his current… instability… I don't think he can ever go back to what he was before he started executing his enemies."

Hermione and Ginny shared a long, sad look, but both handled the idea rather well. Gryffindors, Severus reflected, may be unforgivably emotional and impulsive, but at least they were resilient.

"We should get back to work," Hermione concluded. "Harry wants Lucius out of Azkaban this summer, and that's not going to be easy."

Severus nodded his agreement and led the way toward the little study off the library that they'd commandeered for the purpose of this case.

* * *

**x_x…D_M...x_x**

Draco made an effort to control his breathing as he followed Harry back toward the very sitting room that he'd been studiously _not _thinking about since that night. It should not have been so difficult to keep his thoughts to himself. He'd grown up in the Malfoy house, damn it. He'd been in Voldemort's presence numerous times. He was a Slytherin! He knew how to keep his damn opinions to himself. He knew how to be careful around powerful crazy people that might decide to kill him for a wrong word.

But none of them were Harry Potter. Ever since they'd first met on the train in first year, Draco had found it almost impossible to keep his composure around Harry. The man was just so… frustrating! And stubborn! And obtuse!

Harry turned to face him once they were alone in his sitting room and Draco flinched slightly, though his eyes were not red now. Harry studied him for a moment, then sighed heavily, "Damn it, Draco. I'm not going to curse you! Stop looking at me like that!"

Draco frowned uncertainly and tried to not look at him "like that" while he waited to see why he was here.

Harry stared at him a moment, then sighed and moved to sprawl himself across the sofa near the window. Draco cautiously moved to sit in the adjacent chair, the converse of the positions they'd occupied on their last meeting here.

"Do you know why you're my favorite minion, Draco?" he asked after a long moment of staring. There were just a hint of humor in his eyes when he called Draco his "minion", which took the sting out of it.

Draco shook his head cautiously.

"Because… Well, honestly there's several reasons. Mostly though, I think it's your ability to annoy the piss out of me without making me actually angry. How _do _you do that, by the way?"

Draco frowned uncertainly, "I… I'm not sure."

"Hm," Harry mused. "I ah… I should probably apologize for the other night," he added uncomfortably, a faint blush touching his cheeks.

Draco blinked at him. That was about the last thing he'd been expecting. Harry looked both embarrassed and contrite, two things he'd not have expected to see in the new Harry Potter. "It's okay," he said uncertainly.

"It's not," Harry countered. "I…" he grimaced, "I took advantage of you. It was unacceptable."

Draco stared at him for a long moment, wondering how much he might be able to get away with saying – and if he wanted to get into it or just brush it off. And now _he_ was blushing. Bloody sodding hell! "You were really drunk," he found himself saying.

"That's not an excuse," Harry grimaced, blushing again. "I knew what I was doing, I just didn't stop to think if I should." That last was said almost to himself.

"Why _did _you do it?" Draco asked carefully.

Harry's blush deepened and he took off his glasses to rub at his eyes. He left his hand obscuring his face for quite a while before putting his glasses back on. Even then, he had his eyes focused on some random point on the wall instead of Draco. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," he admitted bashfully. He snuck a quick look at Draco before looking away again and continuing briskly. "Don't worry. It won't happen again. I promise."

Draco frowned, obscenely disappointed to hear that. "I didn't mind," he said before he could talk himself out of it.

Harry looked at him again, his eyes sharp, assessing.

Draco resisted the urge to squirm under that gaze, or retract his statement.

"Why not?" Harry asked quietly.

Draco rallied to the best of his ability, straightening further in his seat. "Well, you're not terrible to look at, Potter," he said with as much dignity as he could manage.

A slow smirk spread across the young dark lord's face, and Draco made an effort not to stare at how sexy it was or fidget at how _predatory _it suddenly made him look.

"So… If I _did _want to do it again some time… That wouldn't bother you," he concluded.

Resisting the urge to gather his dignity at the cost of perhaps getting another of those delicious kisses, Draco shrugged as dismissively as he could. "I can't imagine that it would."

"Good to know," Harry grinned now.

Draco was unaccountably grateful to feel the wards announcing a visitor a moment later. "I believe the tailor is here," he said, rising gracefully.

"Excellent," Harry chimed, rolling to his feet with grace if not poise. "Show him in."

* * *

**x_x…R_W...x_x**

Ron finished the second book Malfoy had given him, and he leaned back in his chair, playing through his head some of the more key points. He'd been skeptical, to say the least, when Harry had given him this job, but he was starting to think that he could do it now. No, he was sure that he could. For the first time in his life, Ron was being trusted with something really important that no one else could do. It wasn't just because he was there, it was because Harry trusted him to handle this. It was a bit like in first year with that giant chess set.

He'd never felt so valued before. He wasn't just the Weasleys' sixth son. He wasn't just a decent Keeper. He wasn't the kid that spent as much time being jealous of his best friend as supporting him. He wasn't _just _anything. This was important. Harry was trusting him to do it, and damn it all, he was going to do it right!

Hermione's almost laughing dismissal of the very idea of dating Ron still burned a bit. It had been annoying to see his half-formed dreams of a future with Hermione going up in smoke with _Draco Malfoy _of all people there to witness it and join in mocking him for it. Well, he didn't care, Ron decided. More than that, he was going to make Hermione regret dismissing him so easily, and he was most definitely going to get over any thoughts of them together. He was going to prove to her and everyone else that there was more to Ron Weasley than any of them had ever dared to guess.

With fierce determination, he picked up the next book, still muttering under his breath about frizzy girls until the text drew his full attention back in. He was going to read all of those books, he was going to learn it, he was going to learn to adapt it, and he was going to _matter _damn it!

* * *

**x_x…A_D...x_x**

Albus sat silently at the head of the table at Grimmauld Place while the Weasleys engaged in yet another shouting match with Alastor, Mundungus, and various other members. Even the twins couldn't seem to manage many jokes today. Harry had been missing for two days. Remus, Ron, and Hermione had been gone almost as long. And now Ginny had disappeared. Severus wasn't answering Albus' summons, though that wasn't entirely surprising, as his work often took him beyond contact for days at a time in the summer.

Albus was sure it wasn't a coincidence that those closest to Harry had been the ones to disappear immediately after him. He wasn't entirely sure if they'd joined him or merely gone looking for him. Part of him feared foul play, though he didn't want to believe there could be a traitor inside the Order, which is the only way the children could have been taken right out of headquarters.

The Weasleys were not taking it well that their youngest two children were missing, he noted as Molly's voice rose to painful heights yet again. Alastor seemed convinced that they'd just run off. The twins were endorsing this idea, adding that it was rather funny, which was incensing everyone. Molly was convinced that her children couldn't be that irresponsible. Albus refrained from pointing out that they'd all "run off" to the Ministry just a month ago, and nearly gotten themselves killed.

Though he recognized the importance of recovering the Weasley children and Miss Granger, Albus was presently much more concerned with Harry and Remus. Harry was vitally important to the success of the war and Remus was his connection to the werewolves that hadn't joined Tom.

Albus denied himself the comfort of a sigh as he focused on the bickering witches and wizards of the Order again. He'd let them go a few more minutes, then rehash their plans for the search. He was operating under the assumption that all of the children were together, following Harry. That allowed him to aim the search at the one he really cared about while placating the Weasleys. Remus, he could only hope, was simply busy with something involving his people. The timing of his disappearance was highly suspect, but it would be better if Harry didn't have the werewolf helping him. How much could the children truly manage on their own, anyway? No doubt the boy was resourceful, but he knew very little about the wizarding world still. That was a comfort, at least.

The headmaster sat up a little straighter in his chair and called the meeting back to order while he silently prayed that Tom didn't find Harry first or all would be lost.

* * *

**x_x…H_P...x_x**

Harry lifted his head from the speech Narcissa had given him for the press conference when he heard a knock on the door. He'd been going over the speech for hours now, trying to work through it and find the parts that seemed wrong to him. The multiple scribble-filled parchments surrounding him bore testament to his numerous attempted revisals. When he got it down to something that he felt comfortable with, he'd have Narcissa look at it again and see if they could come to a compromise. He didn't doubt that she'd be displeased with some of his changes at least.

"Enter," he called.

The door opened to reveal Luna, who blinked around the room curiously as she breezed inside, absently pushing the door to behind her. "Hello, Harry," she said absently while she studied the room.

"Evening, Luna," he smirked, leaning away from the parchments, happy for the distraction she provided from the headache he could feel coming. "What can I do for you?"

"Remus doesn't trust you," she said distractedly, most of her attention evidently focused on the serpentine sconce she was fingering on the opposite wall.

Harry frowned, "What makes you say that?"

She shrugged delicately. "I can tell. Whenever anyone mentions you, he gets tense and frowns. The way he looks at you when you're not looking is just like people used to look at you in my first year when they found out you were a Parselmouth."

Harry sighed heavily. Maybe he shouldn't have included Remus. The man was his last connection to his parents. He was the next thing to a second godfather. He'd always been a lot more cautious than Sirius, but Harry had honestly thought Remus would always be on his side. Could he not see that Harry didn't have any other choice? Didn't he see that Albus was dangerous? That he'd do anything to win, even if it meant letting his most loyal people die?

"You should talk to him," Luna advised, finally turning to face him. She didn't look disturbed at all by the conversation.

"What more can I say?" Harry asked plaintively.

"Tell him how you're feeling," she advised. "Without yelling. Make him see why you know you're right."

"I don't know how," Harry admitted. "I'm not sure that anyone here actually believes that I'm going about this the right way. Hell, _I'm _not sure I'm going about this the right way. I just don't know any other way that might work."

She smiled, "Tell him that."

Harry frowned as he studied her girl. "You can't be the only one who noticed this. Why are you the one telling me?"

"They're afraid you might hurt him if you know," she shrugged.

Harry laughed humorlessly. He couldn't see Severus, Draco, or Narcissa being afraid of that, but the latter two didn't know him very well, and Severus… "Why wouldn't Severus tell me? I'd think he'd be _happy _if I hurt Remus."

She cocked her head in an almost bird-like manner and answered simply, "He's a Slytherin."

Harry frowned curiously at that. After a long moment, he got her meaning. "He figures I won't believe him, or I'll get mad at him because of his grudge against Remus," he gathered.

She nodded simply.

"Luna, I had no idea you were so perceptive," he admitted.

She smiled warmly. "It's easy to see other people when none of them see you."

Harry nodded. "Luna, I want you to keep an eye on everyone else for me," he decided. "Tell me what the others seem to be thinking that no one else will say. Don't tell anyone about that job, okay?"

Her smile grew, "Thanks, Harry. Can I owl my father and tell him that I'm staying with you for the rest of the summer?"

Harry blinked. He hadn't even thought about that. Ron and Ginny had basically been kidnapped because their parents were on Dumbledore's side. Hermione's parents had already expected her to be staying with friends for the rest of the summer. He hadn't given much thought to Neville and Luna. He nodded, "Yeah, just keep the details minimal, okay? Don't tell him where we are yet. I'm sure Albus is going to be looking into all of my friends to try to find me."

She nodded.

"And tell Neville to pass the same to his grandmother."

"Okay, Harry."

"Hey, Luna," he stopped her when she started for the door again.

She turned back to him with mild curiosity in her eyes.

"Thank you," he said genuinely.

She smiled brilliantly again and left without another word.

Harry stared after her a moment, then sighed again. "Gabby."

The elf popped in.

"Can you tell Remus that I need to speak with him, please?"

She disappeared mid-bow.

* * *

_My muse survives on reviews. Please don't let her become emaciated!_


	8. A Necessary Deception

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, characters, universe, etc. I make no money from this.

**Acknowledgement:** Let's all take a moment to give a standing ovation for my brilliant beta, **bluefirefly5**. Her input adds so much to my stories. Thanks! Big hugs!

**Warnings: **There be **smut**! You've been warned. No complaining if you don't like it!

* * *

**"A Necessary Deception"**

* * *

x_x…H_G...x_x

Hermione stood at the edge of the little stage that had been set up in front of Malfoy Manor for Harry's press conference. Draco and Narcissa stood at her left, Ron at her right. Neville and Luna had stayed inside, since there was no reason to confirm that they were staying at the manor. Severus was… Hermione didn't actually know _where _he was. She'd expected him to be here, but maybe Harry had decided against it.

With an effort, she pushed thoughts of Severus from her mind. They'd been working together a lot the last few days, but that hardly meant that she was privy to his every move. Really, the man had been a spy as long as she'd been alive. It was silly to worry about where he was and what he was doing. Besides, the press conference was about to start, and she needed to pay attention to that.

Really, the very fact that _Harry _was voluntarily giving a press conference proved how much he'd changed this summer. He'd given an interview last year, but that had been one-on-one with a reporter they were blackmailing, which was not at all the same thing.

Hermione just hoped that the reporters would be focused enough on Harry that no one would photograph her. The last thing she needed was for her parents to find her picture on the front page of the Prophet. They'd gotten their own subscription to the paper after that mess with the Ministry. Hermione had warned them about how exaggerated or outright wrong a lot of the stories were, but it would be rather difficult to talk herself out of a difficult explanation if they saw her picture. They thought she was staying with the Weasleys all summer, which had been the original plan. God, how had things gotten so messed up so quickly?

"Thank you all for coming," Harry said from the podium, his amplified voice silencing the gathering instantly. It was almost shocking to look at him now, standing up there with such confidence and ease while speaking to a crowd. It was a far cry from the boy who'd barely been able to address the D.A. last year.

"I have a brief statement to make, and I'd like to ask that you hold your questions until the end." He paused and let his gaze sweep across the small crowd of press. Rita Skeeter was right in the front, her gaze positively predatory despite the warnings that Hermione had given her just a few minutes ago. She'd been somewhat subdued when she'd found out that she wasn't going to be able to embellish the story, but she seemed to have gotten over it now.

"Last night, while I was here visiting my friend, Draco, the Dark Lord Voldemort tracked me here and attacked me. I fought him and killed him."

Despite his request for questions to wait, the press went mad at that announcement.

Harry allowed the uproar for about a minute without answering any of the shouted questions, then calmly raised his hands. The crowd quieted with some reluctance, but he waited with surprising patience until they were silent once more. "Yes," he said calmly. "Tom Riddle, the wizard known as Lord Voldemort, is dead." With that, he waved his hand and the shroud that had concealed the body at the front of the stage was torn away.

Again, Harry waited while the press gasped, screamed, and made various exclamations of shock. The sound slowly turned to joy as they comprehended that he was, in fact, dead.

Harry motioned to the Ministry healer he'd requested. The man grimaced uncomfortably, but he stepped forward and examined the body with a series of diagnostic spells. He paled further, probably at the proximity to the still-intimidating figure of Voldemort, but after a moment, he looked at the aurors and nodded. "It's him. And he's dead."

Something between a cheer and a sigh sounded from just about everyone.

"How was he killed?" one of the aurors asked. Since none loyal to Dumbledore had been invited, Hermione didn't recognize any of them.

Harry turned to look at the aurors. "I used the Killing Curse," he admitted. "I will not resist if I'm to be arrested for that."

The aurors exchanged looks before the one who'd spoken addressed Harry again. "It'll go into our report, Mr. Potter, but we're not going to arrest you now."

Harry nodded and turned back to the reporters. "I'll take your questions now. One at a time, please." He pointed to Rita first.

"Mr. Potter, you said that you were here at Malfoy Manor visiting your friend, Draco Malfoy, when it happened? I was under the impression that there was some animosity between you and the Malfoy family. His father is a Death Eater, after all."

Hermione inwardly cheered at the question. With luck, this conference would lay some powerful groundwork for Lucius' case. She'd have told Rita to ask the question if she hadn't been so sure that someone would.

Harry nodded, "A necessary deception, I'm afraid. As you are undoubtedly aware, Lucius was one of the many victims made to serve Voldemort under the Imperius curse during the Dark Lord's first rise to power. During his second rise, Lucius was forced into a fiction of favoring Voldemort in order to protect his family."

"Mr. Potter, are you telling us that Lucius Malfoy is innocent?"

"That is exactly what I'm saying," Harry nodded.

Hermione found herself marveling at Harry's ability to lie. He'd never been a very good liar before, but _she _almost believed him with how earnest he appeared now.

"It's true that he was at the Ministry last month. It's also true that I would be dead today if not for his help while we were there."

"Why didn't any of this come to light at his trial?" some random reporter from the middle of the pack asked.

"Because if Voldemort or his followers discovered how Lucius had helped me, Narcissa and Draco would have been killed. Lucius Malfoy is a hero. He is an innocent man who has allowed himself to be locked away in order to protect his family from a madman. Today, I am very pleased to say that that madman is dead, and I implore the Ministry to give Lucius Malfoy another trial. Bring this unsung hero home."

Draco and Narcissa were both standing very proudly next to Hermione, but a glance in their direction proved that both of their eyes were a bit moist.

Hermione missed the next question, but she heard Harry's answer.

"I won't be answering any further questions about the Malfoys today, but I'm sure they will all be answered adequately at his trial. Are there any other questions?"

"Mr. Potter, what are your plans now that you've defeated You-Know-Who?" a tall brunette man asked.

Harry chuckled, "Voldemort. You can say his name now. He's just another dead man. As to my plans… I'm going to go back to school in September, and focus on my grades."

"What do you plan to do after graduation?"

"I'm still evaluating my options, but I'm considering a career as an auror," Harry admitted. "After all, Voldemort was not the first dark lord, and he won't be the last."

Hermione heard a quiet snort from Ron and discreetly elbowed him in the ribs. The last thing they needed was a reporter commenting on his reaction to Harry's words.

"That'll be all the questions for today. Thank you all for coming."

Harry ignored the shouting crowd attempting to coax one more answer out of him, and went to speak with the aurors.

Hermione turned to Draco once the reporters started to reluctantly file out. "Where's Severus?" she posed. "I thought he'd be here."

Draco shrugged indifferently, but Narcissa frowned thoughtfully. "That was my understanding as well. Perhaps Harry needed him elsewhere."

Hermione sighed. She hoped Harry hadn't sent him into anything dangerous. It would have been nice to have his help today, but she supposed his presence probably wouldn't be much help anyway. Too many people wondered about his true loyalties.

"I'll be in the library," Ron said to no one in particular as he headed back into the manor.

Hermione frowned after him and shook her head slowly. That was such a strange thing to hear Ron say. He'd been practically living in the library since Harry gave him his task. She'd never have expected him to do so much reading without complaining about it.

She shook those thoughts as Harry approached.

"Are you ready to go?" he inquired.

"Where's Severus?" Hermione had to ask.

"I had other business for him today," Harry said dismissively. "Do you have everything you need? The aurors are waiting."

Hermione frowned at the non-answer, but nodded to his question. "Yes. I'm ready."

"As am I," Narcissa seconded.

"Good," Harry nodded, then turned and started back toward the aurors.

Hermione followed with Narcissa at her side while Draco started slowly back toward the manor.

**x_x…A_D...x_x**

"Ah, Severus!" Albus greeted warmly when the spy entered his office. "I was beginning to worry about you, my boy."

Severus took a seat in front of the desk, his shoulders slumped slightly. "It has been a long few days, Albus."

"Have you heard anything of Harry?" Albus had to ask first.

Severus met his eyes grimly, and nodded. "Potter is well, as are Granger and the Weasleys."

Albus' heart leapt to hear that. Harry was okay. Thank sweet Merlin. "Where is he?"

"There is only so much that I can say, Albus. I've been bound by an Unbreakable Vow."

Albus frowned with concern. "Voldemort questions your loyalty."

Severus' lips twitched just a little. "The Dark Lord is dead, Albus."

It took an inordinately long time to process the meaning of that short, simple statement. "Dead? How? When?"

"Yesterday. Potter killed him."

"How?" he demanded.

"The Killing Curse."

"How did this happen, Severus?"

He shook his head wearily. "I don't know all the details. I was with the Dark Lord. Narcissa and I were trying to find a way to prevent Draco from having to take the mark. It seemed to be a lost cause, but… Potter and his friends arrived just before Draco was marked. When the fighting started, I defended Potter. Narcissa and Draco also came to his defense. Had they not, it is quite likely that it would have turned out very differently."

Albus frowned. "Why would they switch sides now?"

"After Lucius was incarcerated, their loyalty faltered, Albus. I've told you this. They were looking for a way out. When Potter turned up, they took their chance. The fact that I revealed my true loyalties may have influenced them as well," he said with a minimal shrug.

"And Harry killed Voldemort?"

"Yes," Severus said quietly, a look of wonder in his eyes that Albus did not think he realized was there. "Voldemort hit Potter with the Killing Curse first. For a moment, it seemed we had lost. But then Potter just… got back up."

Albus sighed in relief. "Then it is as I hoped… and feared."

Severus frowned curiously.

"When Voldemort tried to kill Harry the first time," Albus explained, since it was surely safe to do so now. "It is my belief that a sliver of Voldemort's soul became trapped inside Harry. That is how he was able to speak Parseltongue, and may have accounted for some of his power as well. He was, in effect, a horcrux for the Dark Lord. When Voldemort cast the Killing Curse on him a second time, he destroyed that portion of his soul rather than destroying Harry's soul. That is how he survived the second time. And it means that Voldemort is one step closer to being truly dead."

Severus' frown deepened considerably. "You're telling me that he will come back? Again?"

"I'm afraid so," Albus said sadly. "We must bring Harry back immediately. He must be protected. I'm afraid his job is not yet done. Where is the boy?"

Severus grimaced in annoyance. "I cannot say. It is a stipulation of my vow."

Albus blinked. He'd almost forgotten about the vow Severus had mentioned when he'd arrived. "Severus, my boy, if Voldemort is dead, to whom have you given this vow?"

"Potter," Severus all but snarled.

Albus' breath caught and it took all his control to keep himself outwardly calm. "What kind of vow, Severus?"

"I cannot discuss the particulars," the potions master bit out angrily.

"Why did you take the vow?"

"I had no choice," Severus growled. "The vow I gave years ago to protect the boy required that I give this one."

Albus frowned thoughtfully. "You gave it in order to protect him?"

"He refuses to come back, and he refused to allow me to stay near him without the vow. The boy is an arrogant, thoughtless fool, just like his father. And now I am bound to him more surely than ever."

"What can you tell me, Severus?" Albus asked with concern. The boy refused to come back? Why would he do that? Why had he gone after Voldemort with just his friends to help him? What had he been thinking? And what did this mean for the future?

Severus considered it for a moment. "I can tell you that he's just given a press conference, and you'll likely get many of your answers in the morning paper."

"Harry gave a press conference?" he asked, honestly surprised by that. The boy _hated _any kind of public speaking, he was sure of it.

"My information is limited," Severus groused. "You know the boy doesn't trust me. Honestly, it was a miracle that I was able to convince him to allow me to remain near him at all."

"How did you convince him?" Albus wondered.

"I agreed to give him and his little _friends _private potions lessons," he sneered distastefully. "And I agreed to allow them into my class this coming term so that their dreams of becoming aurors may remain intact."

Albus frowned. "Actually, I may need you to teach Defense this year. I haven't been able to find a suitable Defense teacher, but I may be able to get a potions master."

Severus' sneer actually grew more prominent. "That may not be a problem," he admitted. "Potter intends to use the _fame _he's gained by killing Voldemort – again – to get Lupin reinstated for the position."

Albus brightened slightly at that. Remus would be a good choice. And it was encouraging that Harry wanted to do that. Remus was a good influence on him. On the other hand… "Is Remus with him then?"

Severus nodded.

"Then he could tell me where Harry is," Albus mused.

"No," Severus corrected. "Lupin has been bound by an oath as well," he sneered.

Albus felt his hopes plummet. "Why would Harry do that? I know that he trusts Remus."

"I believe it is you that he doesn't trust, Albus."

His shoulders slumped and he bowed his head. Damn that boy. Why did he have to make everything so difficult? Had Albus not been understanding with him? Had he not done enough? He'd not even chastised the boy for destroying his office! He knew he'd made a mistake with him last year, but he was convinced that he'd won back the boy's trust when he'd finally told him the truth. Well, most of the truth. As much as the child could handle at the moment.

"Then you can't tell me where he is… Can you tell me if he plans to come back to school in September?"

"I believe that he does."

"Well, there is that, at least," Albus said with relief. The boy would be much easier to control at Hogwarts. "Can you at least tell me if he is safe where he is?"

"I believe so," Severus nodded. "I'd still prefer to remain close to him as much as possible. The brat manages to get himself almost killed _here _every year. I'm loathe to leave him unsupervised for long."

Albus nodded, choosing to ignore Severus' ever-present disdain for Harry. He was a little surprised that the boy would allow him to be around him at all after how vocal he'd always been about his distrust of him. Then again, he'd apparently gotten a strong oath from him, and with Voldemort dead, that loyalty would be under less question.

"Very well, Severus. I know that you don't do this for me, but thank you anyway, for looking after Harry. Please continue to bring me any information that you can."

Severus nodded once in agreement and left the office without another word.

Albus sighed after him. He popped a lemon drop in his mouth and made an effort to understand how this had all come about. It had started with that Order meeting, and Harry's resentment at not being included. It seemed that he was going to have to rethink his handling of the boy if he wanted to regain his trust. He'd tried so hard to ensure that the boy would have a suitably pliable personality, but it seemed that that had not worked as well as he'd hoped. Now he just had to figure out if it would be better to be more strict or more open with the boy in the coming year. Should he make it clear that his play for independence would not be tolerated, or should he acknowledge that he's growing up and give him more freedom and information?

It would require some thought.

**x_x…H_P...x_x**

Harry sighed heavily upon his return to the manor and waved goodnight to Hermione and Narcissa as he started his slow trek toward his rooms. It was only just after nine, but Harry was completely shattered.

At least he was pretty sure that everything had worked according to plan. Only because it had been a very meticulous plan though. Severus deserved a fucking medal for that Veritaserum antidote they'd all taken before leaving for the Ministry. Without that, their plan would have been stillborn. Narcissa had definitely been right about Amelia Bones. She was scrupulously fair – even to the point of subjecting the Twice Savior to Veritaserum when she took his statement about Lucius' supposed actions last month. Hermione and Narcissa had been subjected too, but they'd all performed flawlessly. Madam Bones had promised that Lucius' retrial would be announced in the morning paper along with Voldemort's demise and Harry's statements. It was looking like he might end up with an Order of the Merlin out of this.

Harry couldn't help but smirk at that. Lucius was going to be a very valuable ally now that his name had been cleared by Harry Potter himself, and he was going to be a hero in his own right. He'd have more influence than ever. The next step was going to be considerably more uncomfortable, but it had to be done. That could wait until Lucius was home though.

"Harry."

He turned around just outside his sitting room door to see Draco and Severus approaching. He nodded for them to follow as he let himself in and dropped himself into a chair. He summoned Gabby for a bottle of firewhiskey and then conjured three glasses while the Slytherins seated themselves. He poured out half a glass for each of them and leaned back with his own. "How'd it go?" he asked Severus.

"Well," the spy answered while he sipped his drink. "He seemed to believe me entirely."

Harry nodded, "Good. I want him to keep trusting you for information." He smirked a little. "After all, who would ever believe that _you_, of all people, would be on my side willingly."

Severus nodded his agreement.

"Why _did _you join me?" Harry asked curiously. "I _would _have let you leave if you'd wanted to."

Severus grimaced as though he didn't want to answer that question, and he took another sip of firewhiskey, but he hesitated only briefly. "You mother was my friend when we were children," he admitted tonelessly. "After her death, I swore an oath to protect you… In her memory."

Harry considered that briefly, then smirked slightly as he shook his head. "You resented me for that, didn't you?"

Again he hesitated, then sighed quietly. "I resented you for your father's blood. As you know, he and I did not get along in school. Rather like yourself and Draco, actually."

Harry chuckled at that. "Draco and I seem to have overcome our differences, at least." It was bazaar to think about Severus and his mum being friends, but he supposed he could kind of see it. They'd both been smart, from what he'd heard. And that memory he'd seen… The history between them was kind of obvious when he thought about it. The way she'd defended him and the way Severus had reacted after calling her a mudblood. It was still going to take him a bit to fully wrap his head around it though.

He shook off those thoughts and made an effort to get back on topic. "Did Albus leave you with any orders?"

"To look after you and pass him as much information as I could," Severus said with a sardonic smirk.

Harry grinned, "Great. We can use that."

"He also mentioned that he was considering me for the Defense position this year," Severus added.

Harry frowned thoughtfully. "Who'd teach potions?"

Severus shrugged, "He mentioned that he may be able to acquire another potions master, though I didn't get the sense that it was anything he'd actually done yet."

"Would you _want _to teach Defense?" Harry wondered. There had long been a rumor that the man coveted the job, but he wasn't sure how much truth there was to it. There was a rumor that Severus was actually a vampire, too.

"I'd rather not," Severus admitted. "Though I am aware of the rumor, Defense has never been of great interest to me. I do, however, believe that _someone _with a brain should be teaching it."

"Well, Remus qualifies, I think," Harry smirked.

Severus grudgingly nodded agreement.

"All right. Is there anything else?"

Severus hesitated slightly before admitting, "There is, but I think it may be best if we discuss it privately."

Harry frowned, "Sounds grim, and I'm exhausted. Can it wait until morning?"

"Yes. It is not urgent."

"Good. We can discuss it tomorrow after breakfast."

Severus nodded and rose from the sofa, leaving his mostly empty glass on the table.

"Good work today, Severus," Harry smiled.

The potions master stared at him a moment, then nodded minimally, murmured, "Good night, my Lord," and took his leave.

As soon as the door had closed behind him, Draco leaned forward eagerly, "How'd it go?"

Harry smiled warmly, "Well. Lucius retrial will begin on Monday. Madam Bones indicated that it would be pretty open and shut with our testimonies and the 'evidence' Hermione provided."

Draco sagged in relief for a moment, then all but launched himself across the table, knocking over his and Severus' glasses in the process, and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck. "Thank you," he said breathlessly.

Harry started at the sudden movement and froze briefly before returning the embrace. "I… Um. You're welcome." He hadn't really done it for Draco, and he'd almost said as much. Luckily, his Slytherin side chose that moment to tell him to shut up and enjoy the gratitude.

Draco drew back and Harry started to release him, and then the blonde's lips were assaulting his. Harry moaned his appreciation as he returned to frantic kisses. Really, he could get used to this kind of gratitude. He tightened his arms, drawing the other man closer until he was straddling his lap, and deepened the kiss. Draco moaned then too, and Harry let one of his hands slide down the Slytherin's back to appreciate that perfect ass that his robes usually concealed. It felt even better than he'd imagined as he pulled Draco closer to grind his very excited cock against Draco's.

"If you want me to stop," Harry breathed against the other man's lips, "just say so. Okay? I won't be mad."

"Shut _up, _Potter," Draco groaned, grinding himself harder into Harry.

"Mmmm… Okay," Harry moaned agreeably.

Draco started trailing kisses down his neck and Harry let his head fall back, closing his other hand around Draco's ass, and gasping at the utterly wonderful friction growing between them. "Oh Gods, Draco!" he moaned.

"Mm. Harry," Draco breathed between nibbling on his neck. "You should probably… silence the room."

Harry nodded, his magic coming effortlessly to his call to bathe every wall and window, every crack and void. "Okay. It's done."

Draco kissed his lips again, and his fingers began to work the buttons of Harry's robe.

Harry gasped again when Draco's fingers found his skin, and whimpered quietly as Draco began to kiss his way down his chest. "Oh fuck. Shit. Fuck."

"You have a dirty mouth, my Lord," Draco smirked, and Harry bit his lip hard, the "my Lord" nearly pushing him over the edge by itself. It was obscene how arousing those words were on Draco's lips considering what he was doing.

Soft, slender fingers slid beneath the waist of his trousers, and Harry obligingly lifted his hips. He pulled his trousers and pants down and off in one swift pull that somehow took his dressy boots with them, and then the blonde was kneeling between his knees and Harry threw his head back and clenched his eyes shut again when he felt warm breath ghosting across his skin. And then warm and wet, a tongue sliding up his shaft.

"Of sweet Jesus…"

"What?" Draco mumbled.

"Nothing. Sort of muggle Merlin. Keep going," he gasped out in a rush.

"Muggle Merlin?" Draco asked curiously, his hand sliding slowly and gently up and down Harry's shaft.

"Fuck, Draco, we can discuss muggle religion later!" Harry snapped.

Draco chuckled, but before Harry could yell at him again, his mouth closed around Harry's cock and he forgot that he'd ever been mad.

"Draco… Yes. More. Yes. Oh, fuck," Harry panted and shuddered as absolute bliss drowned out all his senses. The only thing that kept him from coming right then was the fact that Draco would doubtlessly tease him for it. Instead, he found himself fisting Draco's hair and gasping out nonsensical approval sprinkled liberally with Draco's name. He didn't know most of what he was saying, and he couldn't care.

"Oh God, I'm gonna… Ah!"

Draco didn't withdraw, but instead swallowed down everything Harry gave him, which managed to make the whole thing even hotter.

Harry went completely limp as he came down from the high. He wondered for a moment if he was going to pass out from sheer pleasure, but then Draco's lips closed on his again. He could taste himself on Draco's tongue and, impossibly, he stirred with interest immediately.

Harry took the opportunity to reach down between them and close his hand around Draco's cock through his robe. He obviously wasn't wearing any trousers beneath it. "So," Harry said as casually as he could when their lips parted, "do you have any other relatives in Azkaban? Because if this is your idea of thank you, I'll get them all released."

Draco made a noise that was half laugh, half gasp. "No one else that I want released," he said quietly, his eyes closed in pleasure and his teeth gouged at his lower lip when he paused. "I could probably think of other things you could do for me though."

Harry hummed his pleasure as he kissed Draco again, then gently disengaged so that he could stand up. "My bed's much more comfortable," he pointed out, closing his hand around Draco's to lead him in that direction. He quickly warded that room as well. By the time he had Draco sprawled across his bed, his body was completely ready for another go.

He'd also calmed down enough to feel a little nervous. His hands trembled as he reached for the buttons on Draco's robe, and the blonde cocked an eyebrow at him. "Really, Harry?" he teased lightly. "You can face down Voldemort without flinching, but now you're nervous?"

Harry glared at him until the blonde started to squirm, then placed his palm right over Draco's heart, called on his magic, and watched in satisfaction as his robes vanished. His wand, a small coin purse, a scrap of parchment, and oddly, a button landed on the bed around him and Harry grinned at the flinch even while he admired the stunning body he'd just bared. He leaned over the other man, grinning when Draco hissed at the contact. He put his lips right next to Draco's ear and whispered affectionately, "I'm still your lord, you cheeky twit." He ran his tongue lightly along the rim of Draco's ear before drawing back.

Draco gasped when their eyes met and Harry frowned curiously. "My eyes red again?" he wondered.

Draco nodded, evidently transfixed.

"Odd… I'm not angry," Harry noted. Then Draco moved slightly beneath him and he pushed aside the question for a more appropriate time. He leaned back and pulled Draco's knees up and apart, taking a moment to admire him. Soft, pale, unmarred skin. A dusting of almost white hair. Flat, pale pink nipples. A hard, red cock in a bed of white curls, just fucking begging for attention. "Bloody fucking hell, Malfoy," he breathed appreciatively. "You're fucking perfect."

Draco blushed with pleasure at the compliment, his silver eyes absolutely gleaming.

Harry slid his hands lightly down his chest, brushing over his nipples and watching Draco's resulting gasp, then lower over his slim, lightly muscled stomach, reveling in the way he trembled beneath his touch. Finally, he let his hand slide down the hard silken shaft, his own cock eagerly responding to every twitch he elicited. His hand continued down, over the lightly furred sack, and lower still, watching with satisfaction as Draco gasped again, more sharply, as his fingers brushed over the puckered hole. He met Draco's eyes and quietly asked, "Can I?"

Draco nodded several times very quickly, snatched up his wand from the bed next to him, and accio'd a small jar of lube from the bedside table drawer.

Harry raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment, something between awed and scared at what he was about to do. He uncapped the jar and wet his fingers in it, lowering them back to Draco's crack before saying softly, "Don't let me hurt you, okay?"

"It's okay," Draco said quickly, squirming slightly with evident impatience. "I don't mind if it hurts a little, but fuck, Potter, please, just… hurry."

Harry grinned at his ability to put the normally composed Slytherin in such a state. He was starting to realize that he liked it when Draco called him "Potter" now. He seemed to do it when he was putting the least thought into what he was saying. When he was the most honest, even if it wasn't always polite. Harry thought about taking his time just to tease the other man, but then decided that he was too anxious himself to bother.

He slid his finger carefully inside and Draco groaned and immediately bucked against him. He worked that for a few seconds before pushing a second finger in. He pumped and twisted and scissored for as long as he could manage, but the noises that Draco was making should have been criminal. In a very short time, he was slicking his shaft and shoving it into Draco probably much too roughly.

He forced himself to stop when Draco all but screamed. "Okay?" he huffed breathlessly.

"Just… give me a second," Draco grimaced, took a deep breath, then nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

"Sure?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Uhnhn," he moaned something vaguely affirmative, then rolled his hips and Harry decided that was good enough for him. He made himself go slow to start, but Draco quickly became impatient with the pace. He curled his legs around Harry's waist and lifted his hips to meet his thrusts, muttering half gasped words of approval sprinkled with "harder" and "faster".

Harry obliged eagerly, promptly losing track of time, restraint, and most other intelligent thought not directly centered around the absolute heaven in which he suddenly found himself, or the beautiful man beneath him who was making all of it possible.

At some point, Draco had started fisting his own cock between them. When Harry realized it, he swatted his hand away and took up the job himself, which inspired even more of those divine sounds of pleasure.

"Fuck! Please, Harry. Please tell me… you're close," Draco eventually groaned.

With a devious grin, Harry leaned forward and spoke directly into Draco's ear in his deepest, huskiest voice, "Come for me, Draco." He accompanied his request with an extra hard squeeze, and Draco screamed and doused his belly in his seed. The sight of Draco's face distended in a grimace of pleasure, the sound of Harry's name carried on that scream, the scent of sweat and semen suddenly permeating the air, the feel of Draco's body clenching around his shaft…

Harry lost it, screaming out Draco's name in turn as a white abyss of ecstasy overcame his entire world.

When the abyss faded, Harry collapsed on top of Draco, panting for breath, his entire body trembling with glorious aftershocks.

"Holy Gods," he finally managed.

* * *

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